C Joseph Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathi, is leaving behind a glittering film career to lead Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
C Joseph Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathi, is the founder and president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the main contender in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Born in 1974, he moved from a three-decade career as a movie star to devote himself to politics in 2024, announcing that he had “given up his rich life” to serve the people.
For the April 23 elections, Vijay is contesting from two seats: Perambur in Chennai and Trichy East, positioning his party as the only “pure force” capable of defeating the “evil force” of the ruling KDP.
Under the whistle symbol, Vijay launched a solo campaign, rejecting all alliances to preserve his party’s “secular social justice principles”. His platform focuses on youth welfare, drug eradication, timely conduct of government examinations and especially promising monthly financial assistance. $4000 for graduates and $2500 for women.
Despite being a newcomer, his campaign has been marked by high-stakes legal battles over his latest film. Jananayakanand the ongoing CBI investigation into the tragic 2025 stampede in Karur.
5 Key Facts about TVK Chairman Vijay
- Register of wealth and assets: In his 2026 election affidavit, ₹624.73 Crores”>Vijay announced the total asset value $624.73 crores, making him the richest candidate in the Tamil Nadu polls. This includes $404.58 crore in movable assets and $Rs 220.15 crore in immovable property.
- Personal life controversy: Amid his political debut, Vijay’s wife, Sangeetha, filed for divorce in early 2026 after nearly 28 years of marriage, alleging “mental cruelty” and “infidelity.” Vijay accused his political rivals of leaking this personal news 30 days before the elections to derail his campaign.
- Karur and the CBI scramble: Vijay has been questioned by the CBI several times in connection with a September 2025 stampede at his Karur cluster that claimed 41 lives. While the DMK government blames TVK’s lack of experience, Vijay claims that the tragedy is being used as a political tool to silence him.
- “MGR 2.0” strategy: Vijay often invokes the legacy of legendary actor and politician M G Ramachandran (MGR), claiming that he will replicate MGR’s success by storming to power as a film icon. MGR’s famous line is often quoted: “If I aim, I won’t miss. If I miss, I won’t shoot at all.”
- Al-Assad’s unilateral approach: Vijay’s general secretary refused to join the NDA or the DMK-led alliance, and claimed that the actor rejected an offer for the chief minister’s post (shared for two-and-a-half years) and 50% seats from another party, insisting that TVK would contest all 234 seats alone.
Voting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is scheduled to take place on April 23, while the counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4.
Yamini CS is a senior content producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. It is part of the India News Bureau, where it works on a wide range of stories covering civic issues, developments in cities, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics and international affairs having an impact on India. Its role includes tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and physical sources, and presenting news in a clear and accessible format for a digital-first audience. Much of her work involves handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court rulings, political developments, civil unrest, protests, weather alerts, and unfolding national and international events. With live coverage, you focus on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they develop. Before moving to the wider India News Bureau, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru bureau of Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her anchoring in city reporting and increased her focus on citizen-focused journalism. She began her career as a Reuters correspondent after obtaining a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continues to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading in various genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which helps her maintain balance in the fast-paced newsroom environment.Read more
