Tamil Nadu's Political Landscape Shifts as Vijay's Party TVK Takes Power

Fact is stranger than fiction. Tamil Nadu politics is no exception. Actor Vijay’s meteoric rise to power in April has nearly eclipsed the two Dravidian parties from Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, at least for now. Since 1967, Tamil Nadu has been ruled by either the DMK or the AIADMK, except for brief periods of President’s Rule. The domination of the two Dravidian majors came to an end with Vijay’s TVK capturing power in the April 2026 Assembly elections. But Vijay’s rise has also triggered a in the state. The post-April scenario saw senior AIADMK leaders, along with their supporters, . Among them were Madurantakam MLA Maragatham Kumaravel and Dharapuram legislator P Sathyabama. . Their resignations as MLAs led to vacancies in the two reserved constituencies, paving the way for the October 6 by-elections. With only one day left, campaigning for the bypolls has entered a high-intensity phase, with rhetoric intensifying and parties trading allegations and counter-allegations. former AIADMK legislators as its candidates. , therefore, are not merely contests for two Assembly seats. They are also a test of whether the political shift from AIADMK to TVK has electoral acceptance in these constituencies. The AIADMK, founded by matinee idol M G Ramachandran, or MGR, has weakened considerably following the defection of senior leaders to TVK soon after the party's dismal performance in the Assembly polls. The NDA, meanwhile, comprising the AIADMK, BJP, PMK and other smaller parties, has witnessed the exit of the AMMK, which currently supports TVK. The in the by-elections. There is speculation that it could move closer to TVK in the post-election scenario.