NEW DELHI: With TVK projected to secure a historic mandate in Tamil Nadu, an old video of political strategist Prashant Kishor has gone viral on social media. In the clip, Kishor responds to a question on TVK's electoral prospects, saying data suggested that if Vijay contested alone, he stands a very good chance to win the state.
Prashant Kishor's Prediction
In the viral video, Kishor states: My understanding and data suggest that if he goes alone he stands a very good chance. You would be surprised. I do not mean win seats, I mean win Tamil Nadu. Keep this video and play it when results come out. He stands a very good chance provided he puts in the effort and the number of hours. If AIADMK goes with the BJP and the DMK alliance holds the way it is and TVK fights alone, take it in writing that he stands a very good chance.
Background
In early 2025, Kishor was tipped to be an adviser to Vijay's TVK party. However, he later backed out, citing his duties as Jan Suraaj's party chief. The party contested the Bihar polls in 2025, where it ultimately won zero seats.
Early Election Trends
Early trends on Monday appear to echo Kishor's assessment. TVK has surged ahead, leading in close to 100 constituencies, leaving behind the state's traditional heavyweights, the DMK and the AIADMK. Vijay himself is comfortably ahead in Tiruchirappalli (East), while his party has made significant inroads into Chennai, long considered a DMK stronghold.
Senior DMK figures, including Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin, are trailing in their respective seats. Stalin is currently behind TVK's V S Babu in Kolathur, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the ruling party. The DMK-led alliance is leading in fewer than 50 seats, far below expectations set by most exit polls.
Other States
In West Bengal, the BJP is leading in 282 out of 294 seats. In Kerala, the Congress is leading in 140 out of 140 seats. In Assam, the BJP is leading in 126 out of 126 seats. In Puducherry, the AINRC is leading in 29 out of 30 seats.
AIADMK and BJP Performance
The AIADMK-led alliance remains in second place, though it too trails the momentum generated by TVK. Meanwhile, the BJP has struggled, with several prominent leaders, including L Murugan and Tamilisai Soundararajan, falling behind in their constituencies.
Celebrations Begin
Celebrations have already begun among TVK supporters, with party workers gathering in large numbers, playing Vijay's popular whistle podu song as leads widened. If the current trends hold, Vijay's party could deliver one of the most dramatic electoral upsets in the state's history, challenging the decades-long dominance of the DMK-AIADMK duopoly.
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