In a moment that quickly caught public attention, actor Rajinikanth visited DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence after the party’s poor performance in the recent state Assembly elections.
Reports suggest that the meeting was not just a casual visit. Rajinikanth is believed to have expressed his support for Stalin during this difficult political phase. The visit comes at a time when the DMK is dealing with a major setback after losing power in the state.
In the election results, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the biggest winner, securing 108 seats. The DMK, on the other hand, managed only 59 seats. The defeat was more personal for Stalin, who also lost his own constituency to TVK candidate VS Babu by around 8,700 votes.
Udhayanidhi Stalin likely to take opposition leadership role
Since MK Stalin did not win his seat, there is now a leadership gap within the DMK in the Assembly. According to political developments, his son Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is the former Deputy Chief Minister and current MLA from Chepauk, is expected to take over as the Leader of the Opposition.
This transition is being seen as an important step for the party as it tries to reorganise after the electoral loss.
Meanwhile, Rajinikanth’s visit has added another layer of interest because of his long history with Tamil Nadu politics. In 1995, when he was expected to enter politics, he instead supported the DMK alliance and even campaigned for it. He repeated his support during the 1998 Lok Sabha elections.
Also Read: Is this the end of the Dravidian duopoly? Vijay redraws Tamil Nadu’s political map
Later in 2017, Rajinikanth officially announced his entry into politics, but he withdrew in 2021, citing health reasons. After the recent election results, he also posted on X (formerly Twitter), congratulating Vijay on his victory.
நடந்து முடிந்த தமிழக சட்டமன்றத் தேர்தலில் பெரும் வெற்றி பெற்ற தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகத் தலைவர் திரு விஜய் அவர்களுக்கும், அவர் கட்சியினருக்கும் என்னுடைய வாழ்த்துகள். @TVKVijayHQ
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) May 4, 2026
Vijay’s TVK rise, coalition talks, and government equation
Actor Vijay’s political debut has changed the state’s political balance. His party TVK won a strong 108 seats. Vijay himself won from both Trichy East and Perambur constituencies. However, he is likely to keep Perambur and resign from Trichy East, which will lead to a by-election.
Even after this strong performance, Vijay is still 11 seats short of majority needed to form the government. Because of this, discussions are already underway to build support.
According to sources, Vijay is in talks with several parties including Congress, Left parties, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI(M), CPI, and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).