Ending speculation, political analyst and strategist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday, February 26 officially announced that he would work for the victory of actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) in the 2026 state Assembly elections.
The announcement came during TVK’s first-anniversary meeting, held in Mahabalipuram, Chennai.
Speaking at the event, Prashant Kishor stated that despite announcing his retirement from political consulting in 2021, he had decided to support TVK because he perceives it as a "movement" rather than just a political party.
“He [Vijay] is not a political leader for me; he is the new hope for Tamil Nadu, and that is why I am here. TVK is not a political party for me; it is a movement for millions of people who want to see a new political order in Tamil Nadu,” Kishor said.
He explained that after discussions with Vijay, he found that they shared values, ideals, and ideologies, as well as the common goal of bringing about meaningful change in the lives of Tamil Nadu’s citizens. “A change that is rooted in dignity, equality, and opportunity for all sections of society,” he added.
He also encouraged Tamil Nadu to follow the model he refers to as ‘Sans CCD,’ that is to get rid of Corruption, Communalism, and Dynasty.
Highlighting the issue of corruption, he alleged that Tamil Nadu suffers from “unprecedented levels of political corruption.” He urged the state to combat corruption just as it has resisted the communal politics of the Union government.
Calling for an end to dynasty politics, a reference to the DMK party, he said, “If only the sons of legendary cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev had played for India, we wouldn’t have seen Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli,” he remarked.
Prashant Kishor has been a key figure in shaping electoral victories for several national and regional parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).