Vijay posts ‘Erode selfie’ video with massive turnout at 1st major public rally for TVK after Karur stampede

Actor-turned-politician Vijay returned to the Tamil Nadu political stage on Thursday with a sharp, emotionally charged pitch, branding the ruling DMK an “evil force” and projecting his fledgling party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), as a “pure” alternative ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief Vijay speaking at a public meeting, in Erode on Thursday.(TVK)

The rally in Erode marked his first major public meeting in the state since the deadly Karur stampede in September that claimed 41 lives.

Striking a confrontational tone, Vijay said Tamil Nadu’s political battle had narrowed to a straight fight between what he called the “theeya sakthi” (evil force) DMK and the “thooya sakthi” (pure force) TVK. Echoing phrases once used by late AIADMK leaders MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, he said he now understood why they were so harsh in their criticism of the DMK.