Chennai, May 04 (V7N) — Actor-turned-politician Vijay made a striking entry into the political spotlight as early trends from the Tamil Nadu Assembly election vote count showed his party gaining momentum.

Vote counting began at 8:00 am local time on Monday, with postal ballots counted first, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes from 8:30 am.

According to initial trends, Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), is leading in several constituencies, putting it ahead of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in some areas. The election has shaped into a tight three-way contest involving the ruling DMK, the BJP-backed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) alliance, and TVK.

Vijay is currently leading in the Perambur constituency, though he is trailing in Tiruchirappalli East. In multiple constituencies, TVK appears to be pushing AIADMK into third place, while DMK continues to maintain a strong presence across several regions.

Tamil Nadu has a rich tradition of film stars transitioning into politics, and Vijay’s rise has revived comparisons with legendary figures such as M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa. Analysts suggest that if current trends hold, Vijay could emerge as a significant third political force in the state.

However, officials have cautioned that these are only early trends, and the final outcome may shift as counting progresses throughout the day.

END/SMA/AJ