3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 4, 2026 05:17 PM IST
A year ago, poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor made a bold prediction – that he would help actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) win the Assembly election. With vote counting underway on Monday, the debutant’s party is looking all set to win in the state dominated by two parties.
In February 2025, while attending the TVK’s first anniversary event in Mahabalipuram, PK made a light-hearted joke that he would overtake CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the most popular Bihari upon helping the newly formed party secure victory in the Assembly polls.
“I have to compete with Dhoni, who makes Chennai Super Kings win,” he said, if he has “to become the most popular Bihari in Tamil Nadu.
A few months before the event, Kishor also said that TVK could realistically expect 15 to 20% of the vote share.
PK’s 3 key conditions for Vijay’s victory
Later in March in the same year, he maintained his stance that the TVK has a high chance of winning. In an interview he said, “My understanding and data suggests that if he goes alone, he stands a very good chance to win Tamil Nadu.”
The Jan Suraaj Party founder reiterated that he was not talking about just winning seats, but winning the state. He noted that Vijay needs to put in the effort and build the necessary political infrastructure around him.
“If the AIADMK goes with BJP, DMK alliance holds the way it is, and TVK fights alone – take it in writing – he stands a very good chance, provided 10-12 months this works out, and he does what is expected of him as a politician,” PK said as he mapped out the preferable conditions for a comfortable TVK victory.
Story continues below this ad
When it was pointed out that Vijay is an untested force in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, PK responded by saying “Hope is the biggest strategy.”
The Jan Suraaj Party founder doubled down that he was not talking about just winning vote share, but winning the state, provided he puts in the effort and builds the necessary political infrastructure around him.
“Keep this video and play it when the result comes in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Now, a little more than a year later, the duel between the ruling DMK and the AIADMK has turned into a three-pronged competition with the TVK leading in over a 100 seats halfway through the counting for the 234-member Assembly.
Story continues below this ad
The association began in February. At that time, political circles were speculating about how the two joining forces might reshape the contours of the Opposition in the state.
Kishor offered support and advice to the TVK till July, before had to divert his attention to the campaign for his debut performance in the Bihar Assembly election in November. While Kishor’s JSP did not secure a seat in the polls, the political guidance he offered to the actor appears to have made its impact.
