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In a surprising outcome, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam won 108 seats in Tamil Nadu's assembly elections. Ravichandran Ashwin congratulated the actor-turned-politician. But, his remarks met with a casteist comment.
Ravichandran Ashwin hits back at Brahmin remark over Thalapathy Vijay’s historic Tamil Nadu win (ANI Video Grab)(ANI Video Grab)Ravichandran Ashwin congratulated Thalapathy Vijay after his party's historic election victory. However, his congratulatory comments faced a casteist pushback. Now, the cricketer has hit back.
Ashwin posted a warm message on social media. "Naalaiya Theerpu to Netraiya Theerpu (Tomorrow's Verdict to Yesterday's Verdict)," he wrote. He congratulated Vijay and his party. He added that he would love to go from being a fan to following Vijay as a leader.
“Congratulations to Thalapathy and his party for the fabulous result. Good luck & I would love to go from being your super fan to a leader I would,” the former Team India cricketer wrote.
The message drew criticism from some social media users. One user called Ashwin a “Brahmin who is afraid of Dravidian rule".
Ashwin responded firmly. He said his birth was not his choice.
“Have said it once, I will say it again! Who I was born to wasn’t my choice; thankfully, I was born to parents that are beyond great,” he wrote.
“Leadership is feeling empathetic towards another person’s struggles and enabling growth beyond barriers & that’s what my parents & teachers have taught me. I want to live till the day, we stop talking about lineage or caste,” he added.
One user said, “It is of no use. These guys are clear in their agenda. In fact, every one of these guys believes in lineage and caste. Be a good human being, a good citizen. It's enough.”
“We don’t stop trying, just cos it’s hard,” Ashwin replied.
Vijay’s Historic Victory
Thalapathy Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, emerged as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu. The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections delivered a result no one had predicted.
TVK won 108 of 234 seats in the assembly. The majority mark stood at 118 seats. No party or alliance crossed that threshold. Tamil Nadu now has its first hung assembly in history.
The actor-turned-politician contested from two seats, Perambur and Trichy East. He won both by significant margins. In Perambur, he defeated DMK's RD Shekhar by 53,715 votes.
In Trichy East, he defeated DMK's Inigo S Irudayaraj by 27,416 votes. Reports suggest Vijay will retain Perambur and resign from Trichy East.
The biggest shock of the night came in Kolathur. TVK's VS Babu defeated sitting Chief Minister MK Stalin in his own stronghold by around 8,000 votes. The DMK won 59 seats, and the AIADMK won 47. This result broke a 62-year duopoly between the two parties.
Vijay has been elected as the leader of the TVK Legislature Party. He is expected to stake a claim to form the government by 7 May. Coalition talks with potential allies are ongoing.
About the Author
Sounak Mukhopadhyay
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.
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