Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay’s meeting with political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor at his Chennai residence on Monday afternoon has sparked widespread speculation.

While sources within Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) downplayed the meeting, calling it a “courtesy call” facilitated by party election head Aadhav Arjuna, political circles are abuzz with the possibility that their collaboration could reshape the Opposition in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

A senior TVK leader explained, “Arjuna had promised to set up the meeting, and he kept his word. It’s not about a strategist advising a politician, but rather a conversation between two leaders who launched their respective parties last year.”

The TVK is set to ramp up its election activities after completing internal structuring. Vijay is expected to kick off a statewide tour in early March, while Arjuna, with the backing of his political strategy firm Voice of Common, is reportedly handling data collection and party expansion plans.

The timing of the Vijay-Kishor meeting is particularly noteworthy, as the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which Kishor once led, is reportedly close to finalizing a deal with the AIADMK. This has led to speculation about a potential alliance between TVK and AIADMK. A senior AIADMK leader indicated that an agreement with I-PAC could be signed on February 24, the birth anniversary of party icon Jayalalithaa.

However, an associate of Kishor clarified that he has moved beyond his role as a political strategist. “He is no longer a consultant. We’ve made it clear to AIADMK that he cannot work with them as a consultant after starting his party. But they’re welcome to work with I-PAC,” the associate said.

Kishor had announced his “retirement” from political consulting after I-PAC helped the Trinamool Congress win a third consecutive term in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. He founded the Jan Suraaj Party on October 2, 2023.

While Vijay is positioning his party as a youth-driven alternative to the Dravidian parties, AIADMK is attempting to regain its former strength. The BJP, keen to increase its influence in Tamil Nadu, remains in the background but is working behind the scenes to ensure that anti-DMK votes do not split.

This has fueled discussions about a potential TVK-AIADMK alliance. An AIADMK leader shared, “Arjuna has been advocating for the alliance. The BJP would be happy even if Vijay allies with us, but not them. The alliance will only happen if Vijay sees the AIADMK as a serious force. Right now, Edappadi K Palaniswami’s stance is unclear. We’ll wait and see.”

Another AIADMK leader suggested that Kishor might be advising Vijay to consider aligning with AIADMK. “If TVK goes solo, the Opposition vote could split due to the presence of AIADMK, BJP, and Seeman’s NTK. That would ultimately benefit the DMK,” the leader noted.

In 2021, AIADMK had considered working with Kisho and then heading I-PAC, but the DMK ultimately leveraged the firm’s services and won the elections. Arjuna, who was with the DMK at the time, has since claimed credit for bringing Kishor into the DMK camp.