However, the party has yet to make an official announcement about its association with Kishor. Its spokesperson, Raj Mohan, said any such announcement would only be made by the party head. With Kishor onboard as political adviser, Vijay’s TVK now has three political consultants working for the party ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
While some see Kishor’s addition as a boost to the political debutant Vijay, others believe multiple political consultants might lead to a conflict of views.
Political analyst A. Mani said the additional resources would help Vijay make crucial decisions ahead of the Assembly elections. “For a party that has stepped into the election for the first time, it requires a lot of manpower with experience in politics, especially on the electoral front. Having worked in multiple elections with multiple parties since 2014, Kishor will be a valuable addition to the party,” he said.
At the same time, political commentator N. Sathiya Moorthy warned of confusion within the party and the leadership over whose strategy to adopt. “TVK is following the pattern of the DMK by roping in multiple poll consultants. This might be counterproductive to the party as they are yet to know their original potential in electoral politics,” Sathiya Moorthy said.
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Taking a dig at BJP, DMK
Meanwhile, the TVK is getting ready for its first-anniversary celebration and the party’s first general body meeting at Confluence Hall at Mahabalipuram in Chengalpattu district on 26 February.
Raj Mohan confirmed that the party’s general body meeting and the anniversary are scheduled for the same day. “But the dates of the meeting will be officially announced by the party head,” he said.
A functionary close to the party’s general secretary, N. Anand, said a team was preparing Vijay’s speech for the anniversary function, where he was likely to take a dig both at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) but steer clear of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
“Dynasty politics and imposition of the three-language formula at schools are going to be the key topics in the discussion. The party’s general body will also pass a resolution against the two, among other pressing issues,” the functionary said.
Gearing up for polls
Though there’s been no formal announcement, all signs suggest Kishor will advise the party. Kishor, who met TVK leader Vijay at his party headquarters in Panaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai, has shared a survey report of a political consultancy firm that allegedly pegged his political popularity at 20 percent of the state’s voters.
“In the meeting held on 10 and 11 of February, Kishor shared a survey report which discussed the chances of winning the election with the current strength in the party,” sources close to Aadhav Arjuna said. After meeting Vijay, Kishor also met his former colleagues at political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) who had worked with him earlier in Tamil Nadu. A former colleague of Kishor, who now runs a Digital marketing firm, told ThePrint he had requested them to join him to work for Vijay.
“One of his friends has already set up an office in the city to work for Vijay. However, they have not started hiring. The meeting was with the key people who worked with Prashant Kishor during the 2021 Assembly elections,” the former colleague said, adding that Aadhav Arjuna and other key functionaries were present at the meeting with Kishor.
Kishor had worked with the DMK ahead of the 2021 elections. Later he announced that he would no longer work as an election strategist and founded the Jan Suraaj party.
Vijay’s TVK has already hired the Jhon Arokiyasamy-led JPAC-Persona as a political consultancy firm for the party. The firm is in charge of expanding Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, a people’s movement launched by Vijay, into a party and bring in spokespersons, advisers and senior leaders for the party.
JPAC-Persona designed Vijay’s first-ever political conference at Vikravandi on 27 October.
Former Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) deputy general secretary and ‘lottery king’ Santiago Martin’s son-in-law Aadhav Arjun—who is also the founder of political consultancy Voice of Commons—has joined TVK as the general secretary for election campaign management. Aadhav worked for the DMK in the 2021 Assembly elections and worked for the VCK in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
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Vijay’s first year as a full-time politician
According to a source close to the party’s general secretary, N. Anand, the first general body meeting and first-anniversary celebration were originally planned at a stadium in Chennai. “However, we could not secure clearance from the government departments including police and fire, to conduct the event inside Chennai city. Hence, at the last minute, we changed the location to Mahabalipuram,” the source claimed.
Sources said the anniversary will be limited to invitees, unlike a general conference. The participants will include general council members and the party’s newly-appointed district functionaries. “The party has also prepared a roadmap to work for the 2026 Assembly elections, which will also be informed to the party workers during the first-year anniversary,” the source added.
Vijay announced his entry into politics on 2 February last year through a statement revealing the party’s name and declared his intention to focus on the 2026 Assembly election.
Despite being pressed to reveal the party’s ideology, he waited for eight months before unveiling it before a huge crowd at his party’s first conference on 27 October. He declared social reformer Periyar, B.R. Ambedkar, former chief minister Kamaraj, and freedom fighters Velu Nachiyar and Anjalai Ammal as his inspiration. Without taking any party’s name, he declared the DMK its political enemy and the BJP its ideological enemy. One year down the line, the party is in the process of appointing functionaries at the district level.
Apart from festival greetings, Vijay has spoken out on key issues affecting Tamil Nadu, including the three-language formula, the governor’s boycott of the Assembly session and law and order concerns. Except for the Union Budget, he has criticised the central and state government equally on almost all issues.
Political analyst Arun said this was a strategy aimed at preventing his followers from turning to the DMK. “We never know his stand on a lot of issues, but until now, a lot of his ideological stands are more or less the same as that of the DMK. So, if he handles the issue the same way that the DMK is handling it, he will not gain support. Hence, he is striking a balance by condemning both the state and Central government,” Arun said.
Referring to Vijay’s statement against the imposition of the three-language formula, Arun said, “Even while condemning the Union government, he mentions the state government even if the state does not have any role in it.”
On 16 February, Vijay condemned the imposition of the three-language formula, calling it an infringement of states’ autonomy. “No matter who adopts fascist approaches in any form, be it the Union government or the state government, the TVK will always stand by the people and resolutely oppose them,” he said in a statement on X.
Sources privy to the anniversary celebrations said an appeal would be made to political parties in the state to join hands with the TVK in the Assembly elections.
Raj Mohan also confirmed that a few former AIADMK ministers are likely to join the TVK. “It may not happen on the anniversary celebration event. But it will happen a few days after the celebration.”
The AIADMK’s national spokesperson and IT wing president Kovai Sathyan said any alliance would be decided by the party’s general secretary. “We would definitely form a strong alliance that would defeat the ruling DMK government. Our general secretary will form the alliance and it’ll be announced officially once everything is sealed,” he said.
Vijay’s limited public appearance
Since the party’s first conference on 27 October, Vijay has made few public appearances and has been seen mostly at his party’s headquarters.
On 3 December, Vijay invited people affected by floods in Villupuram district to his party office and distributed flood relief material. The move drew criticism as he did not visit the spot, unlike former chief ministers M. Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran, J. Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Following the criticism, on 20 January he met the farmers of Parandur village who were likely to be affected by a proposed airport.
Vijay has had his share of controversy in the last year.
After his first political conference as a leader of the TVK party, Vijay participated in the launch of the book titled Ellarukumana Thalaivar Ambedkar (Ambedkar: A Leader for All) on 6 December last year in Chennai. The event was organised by Vikatan Publications along with Aadhav Arjuna’s own political consultancy firm Voice of Commons.
Arjuna was then the VCK’s deputy general secretary. The event was originally planned with VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan. However, at the last minute, Thirumavalavan backed off from the event. While addressing the gathering, Vijay took a subtle jab at the DMK for Thirumavalavan’s absence in the event. “Some who were supposed to be here in the event could not make it. You all know why. But even though he is not physically present, he has all his heart here,” Vijay said.
It was in the same event that Aadhav Arjuna took a dig at the DMK’s “dynasty politics”.
Aadhav Arjuna was suspended from the party for six months. He resigned from the party and joined the TVK on 31 January this year.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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