Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 21 (ANI): Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay on Thursday set the tone for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, asserting that his party's 'ideological enemy' was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) remains its 'political enemy'.

While addressing a mega rally in Tamil Nadu's Madurai, Vijay said that the contest in the 2026 assembly elections would be between the ruling DMK and his party, TVK.

'Our priority is the safety of women, elders and children. Our government would be friendly to whoever needs special attention, like farmers, youths, transgender people, the elderly without care, and people with physical disabilities. TVK is not a party that was established solely for political benefits. Our only ideological enemy is the BJP and our only political enemy is the DMK,' Vijay asserted.

Drawing historical parallels, Vijay said, 'Tamil Nadu has seen big political changes in 1967 and 1977. A similar history will repeat in 2026.'

Using a metaphor, the actor-turned-politician said, 'A lion is always peculiar. When a lion roars, the sound can be heard up to 8 kilometres away in all directions. That lion comes out only to hunt, not for entertainment. It always hunts only living prey and wins through the hunt. No matter how hungry it may be, it will never touch rotten flesh or dead animals.'

Remembering prominent leaders of the state, including All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) founder MGR and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijayakanth alias Vijayaraj Alagarswami, the TVK chief said:

'When I set foot on the soil of Madurai, a memory of someone came to my mind. You know who that is--whether in cinema or politics, the one we admire is Puratchi Thalaivar MGR. I did not get the chance to interact with him, but I did have the opportunity to associate with Vijayakanth, who possessed similar qualities.'

Labelling the DMK government as 'anti-people,' Vijay argued that his party will defeat the ruling party in the upcoming assembly elections. 'Our crowd is not just votes, and it is a route to the fort, and this crowd will defeat the anti-people governance in the upcoming election,' he said.

Intensifying his attack against the MK Stalin government, Vijay accused DMK of being in a secret alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

'DMK does drama as if they are opposing the BJP,' he said.

This comes as Vijay intends to present his party, TVK, as a third front in Tamil Nadu politics, an alternative to both the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK. The TVK will be contesting the Tamil Nadu assembly elections for the first time since its founding in 2024. The state elections are scheduled to be held in 2026. (ANI)