4 min readMumbaiMay 26, 2026 01:07 PM IST
Actor Vijay recently won the Tamil Nadu elections and became the state’s chief minister, ending over three decades of DMK-AIADMK duology. While Vijay’s party, TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam), emerged victorious in its first ever electoral, the actor and deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, shared his views on Vijay’s victory. Commenting on Jana Nayagan actor’s rise in politics, Pawan joked at an event about how Vijay’s party won by contesting with the actor’s cut-outs, while he had to struggle in the political arena for 15 years before his Jan Sena emerged victorious.
Pawan Kalyan on Vijay’s victory
Ever since Vijay became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, there have been several comparisons between him and Pawan Kalyan on social media. Addressing these comparisons, Pawan Kalyan recently said at an event, “I look at Tamil politics these days, they’ve done it so carefree. I felt jealous. They won using cut-outs and holograms happily. I roamed on the streets for 15 years but… (laughs). I am joking. But we do need to think humanely. You need so much knowledge to say anything. Why did I struggle so much for 15 years? Because to run a party, you need to understand the expectations of lakhs of people.”
Also Read: ‘He called me didi’: Kushboo recalls ‘emotional’ meeting with Tamil Nadu CM Vijay
In Tamilnadu politics, They won so comfortably that it even makes me feel jealous. #PawanKalyan‘s comments about @CMOTamilnadu pic.twitter.com/PdzG7uXnVG
— Arun Vijay (@AVinthehousee) May 25, 2026
Pawan Kalyan, who founded the Jana Sena Party in 2014, failed to make an impact; rather, it faced several setbacks in electoral polls. In 2019, Pawan Kalyan lost both the assembly seats he contested. He had a breakthrough in his political journey after he joined hands with N Chandrababu Naidu and the Telugu Desam Party-led alliance. They emerged victorious in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections, leading to Pawan Kalyan becoming the Deputy Chief Minister.
Pawan Kalyan’s brother Chiranjeevi congratulated Vijay over TVK’s win
Earlier, Pawan Kalyan’s brother, Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, congratulated Vijay on becoming the CM. Chiranjeevi’s team had a cordial phone call with Vijay, congratulating him after he became CM. During the phone call, Chiranjeevi expressed hope that Vijay would stay in the hearts of people and receive the affection of the masses just like politician MGR once did. Vijay also thanked Chiranjeevi for supporting him during the piracy issue around his latest film Jana Nayagan.
Vijay had launched TVK in 2024. Back then, his party defeated two Dravidian parties that had dominated Tamil Nadu politics since the 60s. With his rise in politics, Vijay is seen in line with other impactful actors-turned-politicians like NT Rama Rao, MG Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa. Recently, actress and BJP member Khushbu Sundar also met with Vijay, and later she told the media that meeting him was quite an emotional moment. “I feel very proud to call him my younger brother. Seeing him today was an emotional moment for me. Seeing my brother as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was emotional for me as an elder sister. When he hugged me and called me ‘didi,’ I felt truly happy,” Khushbu said.
அவரை பார்த்த உடன் எனக்கு சற்று எமோஷனலாக இருந்தது, அவர் என்னை கட்டி அணைத்துக் கொண்டு “தீதி” என்று சொல்லும்போது மிகவும் சந்தோஷமாக இருந்தது ! ❤️
~ நடிகை/அரசியல்வாதி குஷ்பூ @TVKVijayHQ | @TVKPartyHQ pic.twitter.com/RZQ3luorAU
— Prakash Vijay (@PrakazVijay_Of) May 25, 2026
She further added, “Regarding his leadership, it’s clear that he will bring significant change to Tamil Nadu as the Chief Minister. We see a very transparent government today. Everyone is focused on their work. He doesn’t prioritise personal relationships and focuses solely on what’s best for the people. On a personal note, it was a very emotional moment for me to see my younger brother behind the table as the Chief Minister. Mutual love and respect are forever.”
Vijay’s latest film, Jana Nayagan, recently got a release date for 19th June on booking apps; the makers are yet to receive certification. Talking to SCREEN, a source from KVN Productions said, “We are yet to receive the certificate, but we are looking at releasing the film during that window. However, nothing has been finalised yet, and more clarity will emerge once the certification process of Jana Nayagan is completed. As of now, the focus is only on that.”
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