Confirming recent rumours that he will be entering politics, Tamil superstar Joseph Vijay, better known as Thalapathy (the commander) Vijay, on Friday announced his political party, naming it ‘Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam’ (victorious Tamil association).

The party, however, will not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and will make its electoral debut in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly election, the actor said in a statement.

“I am aiming a corruption-free, progressive, and secular government, considering the current political climate that divides people by religion , caste and one could witness corruption everywhere,” his statement read.

Latest in line of film personalities to join politics

With this, the actor, 49, becomes the latest personality from Tamil Nadu’s film industry to enter politics. Two former chief ministers of the southern state, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa were actors, while M Karunanidhi, who also served as CM, was a screenwriter. While MG Ramachandran, known popularly by his initials MGR, founded the AIADMK, Jayalalithaa too was a senior member of the party. Karunanidhi, meanwhile, was a senior member of the DMK, the state’s current ruling party.

The DMK and AIADMK are Tamil Nadu’s two main political outfits.

DMDK founder Vijayakanth, who passed away in December last year, was also an actor in the Tamil film industry before becoming a politician. More recently, superstar Kamal Haasan founded Makkal Needhi Maiam (MKM) in February 2018.