Actor-turned-politician Vijay made a thunderous debut in Tamil Nadu, a state that has a long history of electing film stars as leaders. Vijay had promised change amidst the Dravidian duopoly. However, if the TVK fails to reach the halfway mark, what options does it have?

Early trends in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections triggered jubilant scenes at Vijay’s residence, with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) taking a commanding lead. Over two hours into counting, TVK was ahead in 106 of 234 seats, placing it firmly in front, with the AIADMK-led alliance trailing at 71 and the DMK alliance at 56. A video clip showed Vijay’s family, including his father, celebrating with cheers, hugs and whistles, capturing the moment of what could be a landmark political debut. Security was tightened outside his residence as supporters began gathering. The strong showing has also revived speculation around possible post-poll alignments, despite no pre-poll alliance.