How he became Chief Minister: Vijay recounts political journey in Assembly

CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday traced his political journey from a fan club movement to the Chief Minister's office, rejecting criticism that he had entered politics directly from the film industry without grassroots experience.

Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address in the Assembly, Vijay detailed the evolution of his public life and the growth of his political organisation over the past three decades.

“Some people have created an impression that I came straight from a film set and occupied the Chief Minister’s chair. This position was not achieved by my efforts alone. It was possible only because the people accepted us and supported our journey,” he said.

The Chief Minister recalled that his fan clubs were first established in 1990 and later transformed into the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam in 2009.

“We raised our voice on issues affecting Sri Lankan Tamils, participated in flood relief activities and highlighted corruption through our films. In 2021, our movement won seats in local body elections, and in 2024 we formally launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam,” Vijay said.

Reflecting on the party’s rise, he referred to the Karur tragedy in which 41 people lost their lives during a TVK public meeting and said the incident remained a painful memory for the party.

“Some people mocked us as merely an actor’s party. Even after the Karur tragedy, allegations were levelled against us. That incident has not faded from our memory. Must politics be so brutal?” he asked.

The Chief Minister noted that despite criticism and political challenges, the party secured around 35 per cent of the vote in the Assembly election without entering into any alliance.

“We are sitting here today because of the support of the people and the support extended by some political parties. For the last two years, our functionaries have faced numerous challenges and pressures, but they stood firm,” he said.

Speaking about his government's priorities, Vijay said the administration was focused on rectifying shortcomings that had accumulated over the years and implementing reforms in a phased manner.

“We are filling the potholes that were created between late 2017 and April 2026 and moving forward step by step. Our politics is not family-centric. Every family in Tamil Nadu is important to this government,” he said.

The Chief Minister also claimed that the TVK had challenged traditional political practices during the election by transcending caste, religious and money-based vote mobilisation.

“Our movement broke barriers of caste, religion and cash-for-vote politics. That is the strength with which we entered public life,” Vijay said.