Joseph Vijay launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam with a promise of political change. But is it really a change? Are his MLAs really the change we want to see? Or is it old wine in a new bottle?
An Association for Democratic Reforms analysis shows that 92 of the party’s 231 analysed candidates had self-declared criminal cases, while 43 had declared serious criminal cases. The ADR-Tamil Nadu Election Watch report said this translates to 40% of TVK candidates with criminal cases and 19% with serious criminal cases.
TAMIL NADU FOR VIJAY.
DISRUPTION OR CONTINUITY IN CHANGE?
ADR analysed 231 TVK candidates. Of these, 92 self-declared criminal cases, while 43 self-declared serious criminal charges. Pretty much same percentage as “ESTABLISHMENT” parties. The Makkal elected TVK to “drain the… pic.twitter.com/ORa0dAWVkM— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) May 7, 2026
The figures place TVK close to the DMK on both measures. ADR said 70 of DMK’s 175 analysed candidates had declared criminal cases and 32 had declared serious criminal cases, or 40% and 18% respectively.
AIADMK’s numbers were higher than both parties. According to the same ADR analysis, 118 of AIADMK’s 170 analysed candidates had declared criminal cases and 60 had declared serious criminal cases, which amounts to 69% and 35%.
Across Tamil Nadu, ADR said it analysed 3,992 of 4,023 candidates contesting the 2026 Assembly election. Of those, 722 candidates, or 18%, had declared criminal cases, while 404, or 10%, had declared serious criminal cases, marking an increase over the 2021 election, when the corresponding figures were 13% and 6%.
ADR’s classification is based on candidates’ self-sworn affidavits. Reports citing the ADR analysis said the serious-criminal-case category includes offences such as murder, attempt to murder, crimes against women and children, corruption-related offences, electoral offences, and other cognisable or non-bailable offences carrying a maximum punishment of five years or more.
The data has drawn attention because TVK entered the election projecting itself as an alternative to Tamil Nadu’s established parties. While the ADR numbers do not by themselves establish guilt, they indicate that TVK’s candidate profile on criminal-case disclosures was broadly comparable to that of some major rivals, particularly the DMK.
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