Remembering Vijayakant’s grand political debut in Tamil Nadu

The second State conference of actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam at Parapathi on the outskirts of Madurai on August 21, 2025 drew huge crowds, mostly his fans, from across Tamil Nadu. The political spectacle evoked memories of a similar show of strength in Madurai nearly two decades ago, when another actor-turned-politician, Vijayakant (then spelt as Vijayakanth), launched his political party.

Fondly known as ‘Captain,’ a moniker from his hit film Captain Prabhakaran, and celebrated as ‘Puratchi Kalaignar’ [revolutionary artist] for his crusader roles in movies, Vijayakant, then a 54-year-old matinee idol with 148 films to his credit, entered politics in a well-planned move. He had nurtured his fans’ association into a political force in a phased manner.

Conversion of fans’ association into party

A report in this daily in March 2005 noted that celebrations held across districts to mark the silver jubilee of his fans’ association were also platforms to prepare for his political debut. A meticulous planner, Vijayakant was known for his organisational skills. As the president of the South Indian Film Artistes Association (Nadigar Sangam), he cleared its debts by organising overseas stage shows in Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai.

He structured his fans’ association like a political outfit, with student and youth wings, and forums for farmers and advocates. With this groundwork, by the time he announced his party, he already had an organisational base and only had to convert the existing apparatus into a political party.

The announcement

It all formally began at a press conference in Chennai on June 1, 2005, where he promised to unveil his party’s name and ideology at the first State conference in Madurai. A month later, speaking to The Hindu’s correspondent on July 7, 2005, while overseeing arrangements for the conference at Thoppur in Madurai, he said, “We do not want to enter into any alliance. I do not think any party will offer to back us. The question of a third front does not arise. This party will face the Assembly elections alone.”

To a question on whether there would be any training programme to transform the fans into political cadres, he replied, “My fans are already involved in public service through ‘narpani mandrams.’ Distribution of welfare aid to the needy, scholarships to poor children and organising free marriages are regular features.”

Maiden conference

On September 14, 2005, amid grand fanfare, over two lakh people attended the first political conference at Madurai, where Vijayakant unveiled his party name – Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam – and its flag.

At the conference, he said he would focus on establishing basic amenities such as shelter, electricity and protected drinking water in all villages, and proposed to eradicate corruption. According to him, corruption could have been eradicated, but no government ever gave a serious thought to it. He also elaborated on ensuring the delivery of quality medical care and minimising the unemployment problem.

Promises

He said his party would implement 33 per cent reservation for women and allocate 33 per cent of the 234 Assembly seats to women in the 2006 Assembly elections. He also pledged six months of paid maternity leave for women in government service, if his party was voted to power.

He alleged major political parties had been exploiting caste to strengthen their vote banks and urged his cadres to form a caste-free society by creating awareness among the people to shed differences and join hands cutting across community lines.

Vijayakant also declared his party would work to ensure quality education for all. According to him, no student should be denied education for want of money. “Though Tamil is our mother tongue, we must not stop the youth from learning other languages, which will help them get employment outside the State,” The Hindu reported, quoting Vijayakant’s speech from the conference.

He also pitched for bringing an amicable solution to disputes among southern States through negotiations with neighbours on sharing river waters and said linking of rivers had become imperative.

Vijayakant’s political guru

Vijayakant also described the actor-turned-politician and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) founder M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), who went on to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1977-87), as his political guru. He also recollected former Chief Minister S. Janaki gifting the campaign vehicle used by MGR to him.

Though there were speculations that the DMDK was likely to align with some parties to face the 2006 Assembly elections, Vijayakant, in a meeting organised to mark the 89^th birth anniversary of MGR in Chennai on January 17, 2006, declared his party would go alone, promising a corruption-free government, eradication of poverty, removal of unemployment and provision of urban facilities in rural areas.

Door delivery of ration

He said if his party was voted to power, it would ensure ration items were delivered at people’s doorstep. Answering those who had mocked him for saying this, he said while home delivery of LPG refills and drinking water cans was possible, the same could be done for ration articles.

During the election campaign phase, when Vijayakant hit the road in his State-wide tour, a large number of people gathered to see him and listen to his speeches, particularly in parts of northern and southern Tamil Nadu.

First electoral performance

In the elections, his party entered the fray in the 232 out of 234 constituencies but 33% of the tickets were not given to women as promised. Vijayakant successfully contested the Vriddachalam Assembly seat, polling 61,337 votes and defeating R. Govindasamy, the sitting MLA from PMK, by a margin of 13,777 votes. Though he was the sole representative of his party in the Assembly, the DMDK polled a considerable vote share of nearly 8.38%.