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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Vijay’s promises will now face politics. Defeating Tamil Nadu behemoths was easy

The unexpected nature and scale of Vijay’s victory has left not just political observers but even sections within the TVK in a daze.

It was a wave that very few saw coming. One exit poll had predicted it but the sheer improbability of a newly formed party headed by a movie star with no prior political experience sweeping the Tamil Nadu election in its first attempt blindsided most pollsters and analysts. As counting day wore on, it became clear that history was being made in Tamil Nadu. Actor Vijay and his newly formed Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam emerged as the single-largest party, winning 108 out of 234 seats, just 10 short of a majority. The incumbent DMK was ousted, handed a decisive defeat and the opposition AIADMK was humbled even in its erstwhile bastions.

Just a week before polling, there was a buzz around the “whistle,” the TVK symbol, but few expected Vijay to win more than a handful of seats. Most local journalists and pollsters put the figure at fewer than 20 seats. The buzz grew stronger after polling day, with several reports of people saying they had voted for the “Whistle”. Most........

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