Vijay must join Palaniswami-led alliance if he is keen on defeating DMK, says Rajenthra Bhalaji

CHENNAI: Former minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji on Sunday said that TVK chief actor Vijay should join the AIADMK-led alliance if he is serious about defeating the DMK in the 2026 Assembly elections and warned that the ruling party would put an end to Vijay’s political career in his very first poll.

Bhalaji cautioned that unless Vijay aligns with the AIADMK front, his solo attempt would only strengthen the ruling DMK. “He must take a wise decision by joining the AIADMK alliance headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami,” the former minister said in Sivakasi.

If he wants at least a ‘pass mark’, he should come under the AIADMK-led alliance, Bhalaji remarked. He acknowledged Vijay’s star power and his ability to draw large crowds, but stressed that popularity alone cannot sustain a political party.

“A party needs a strong organisational base across the State to convert support into votes. That is not an easy task. The AIADMK alone has the strength to challenge and defeat the DMK. If Vijay is determined to oust the DMK from power, he must join hands with the AIADMK and its leader Palaniswami,” he said, pointing out that the two-year-old TVK lacks the grassroots structure to counter the seven-decade-old DMK.

He warned that should Vijay choose to contest alone, it would only benefit the DMK. “More importantly, his party will not survive beyond this election. That would be the end of the TVK,” Bhalaji added.

Meanwhile, his former cabinet colleague and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, RB Udhayakumar, described Vijay as a “new student” who has not yet written an examination to prove his worth. He argued that TN’s electorate has consistently chosen between the two Dravidian majors for over five decades. “There is no alternative,” he said.

Ridiculing Vijay’s claims, Udhayakumar remarked, “The actor’s assertion of a direct contest with the DMK is like a student claiming mastery without even learning the basics of the subject. Let him write an examination and prove himself. Then we will talk about him.”