CHENNAI:Four months after its launch, actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Tuesday announced that it will not contest Vikravandi by-election or any other elections, including Local Body elections until 2026 Assembly polls.
According to the statement issued by the party’s general secretary N Anand, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led by popular actor Vijay will not contest in the Vikravandi Assembly constituency by-election, which will be held on July 10 and will not support any other party in the bypoll.
Vijay’s ‘Thalapathy’ further clarified that the TVK will not contest in any election, including the Local Body elections until 2026 Assembly polls as its only goal is to contest the 2026 Assembly polls and win.
“While announcing the launch of TVK on February 2, Vijay had clearly articulated the party’s political standing. Vijay will announce the party’s ideology and programmes to be implemented during the first conference of the party, which is to be held soon. He (Vijay) will also tour across the state after our maiden state-level public conference,” Anand said.
Speaking on the decision, TVK’s state-level functionary, on the condition of anonymity, told DT Next that the decision wasn’t a surprise one as the leader Vijay is focusing on strengthening the party’s structure.
“Our Thalapathy has made it clear that his only goal is to face the 2026 Assembly polls. We haven’t contested in the Lok Sabha polls. Likewise, we will not contest in any other election till 2026. However, we will not insist our party men not to refrain from contesting Local Body elections. They can contest on their own as independent candidates like in 2019 and 2022,” the functionary said, adding that Vijay will soon break his silence over the party’s ideology and current issues at his first public conference. It may be recalled that the principal opposition AIADMK and its ally DMDK announced that they would boycott the Vikravandi bypoll as there would be no space for fair and transparent elections.