Tamil Nadu Cm Vijay Says Even Mgr Did Not Get This Much Vote In His First Election

Weeks after assuming office, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay held his first public rally as the CM in Tiruchirappalli on Monday, where he thanked the people for choosing Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and shifting away from the DMK-AIADMK duopoly. (Also read: ‘Vijay left at peak of his career and stardom to serve people’: Ram Charan hails Tamil Nadu CM, wishes him all the best)

Delivering an address, he took a jibe at political opponents, noting that while they had said that they would observe for the first six months, they couldn't stay silent for 6 days. He also talked about the Tamil Nadu election results and said, “They said that even late CM MGR did not secure this much vote share in his very first election. Yet today, you have extended such tremendous support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. I am not comparing myself to M.G.R. M.G.R. is M.G.R., but I am your Vijay, who has come to work in the path shown by M.G.R., Anna, and Periyar.”

MGR served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from June 30, 1977, until his death on December 24, 1987. He was the first film actor in India to become a Chief Minister.

Vijay also reflected on the election results and framed his victory as a rejection of traditional power dynamics in the state. "Only a few weeks have passed since I assumed office, yet those who claimed they would remain silent for six months could not remain silent even for six days. By rejecting the two people who had been taking turns deceiving you for so many years, you chose your Vijay, your elder brother, your younger brother, who came to genuinely work for you, and made him not the Chief Minister, but your first servant," he said.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were held across the state in a single phase on April 23. During the vote counting held on May 4, Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam created a major political milestone by securing 108 seats and forming the government.

In this election, TVK leader Vijay contested from two constituencies and registered victories in both. In Chennai's Perambur constituency, Vijay secured 1,19,454 votes and defeated his nearest rival by a margin of 53,532 votes. In the Tiruchirappalli East constituency, he polled 91,381 votes and won by a massive margin of around 27,416 votes.

After assuming office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay resigned from his seat in the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly. It was officially announced that he would continue as the MLA for Chennai Perambur constituency.

Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More