C. Joseph Vijay
C. Joseph Vijay
TVKChief Minister- Born
- 22 June 1974 in Madras (51 yrs)
- Stage name
- Thalapathy Vijay
- Profession
- Actor (1984–2025), politician (2024–)
- Constituency
- Perambur · also won Trichy East (must vacate one within 14 days of oath)
At a glance
Education
- ~1979–1985 Fathima Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kodambakkam, Chennai Primary years (approximate; exact dates not on public record)
- ~1985–1991 Balalok Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Virugambakkam, Chennai Middle and higher secondary years (approximate)
- 1991–1992 Loyola College, Chennai — Bachelor's in Visual Communication Dropped out in 1992 after the second year of the degree to focus on his acting career; lead-role debut in Naalaiya Theerpu the same year.
- 2007 Honorary doctorate conferred by Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute University, Chennai Recognition of contributions to Tamil cinema
His ECI 2026 affidavit lists his formal qualification as "12th pass" — reflecting the 1992 dropout from Loyola.
ECI affidavit — declared wealth
Filed sworn declaration with the Election Commission of India for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election (Perambur constituency, Chennai).
| Asset class | Declared value |
|---|---|
| Bank deposits & FDs
across Indian Overseas Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank and State Bank of India |
~₹330 cr |
| Personal loans given out
incl. ₹20 cr to Kokilambal Education Trust and ₹20 cr to Green Leaf Infotech |
~₹75.5 cr |
| Vehicles (luxury fleet)
BMW i7 · Toyota Lexus 350 · Toyota Vellfire |
~₹13.5 cr |
| Jewellery & bullion
883 g gold · 3,132 g silver · 134.91 carats diamonds |
~₹6.5 cr |
| Other movable
cash, equity, insurance, miscellaneous |
balance to subtotal |
| Subtotal — movable assets | ~₹426 cr |
| Residential properties
primary residence and other residential holdings |
~₹117.6 cr |
| Commercial buildings
office and commercial real estate |
~₹82.8 cr |
| Non-agricultural land
land parcels (non-agri use) |
~₹22 cr |
| Subtotal — immovable assets | ~₹222.7 cr |
| Total declared assets | ~₹648.85 cr |
| Liabilities
primarily income-tax disputes |
~₹7.6 cr |
Annual income (FY 2024–25)
₹184.53 crore declared. Pending income-tax dues across multiple assessment years: ₹3.44 crore.
Spouse's assets
Sangeetha Sornalingam (homemaker per affidavit) — ~₹15.57 crore, including gold jewellery worth ~₹4.07 crore.
Criminal cases
The ECI affidavit declares 2 pending cases, 0 convictions, 0 charges framed. Both cases are political-protest related.
Case 1 — FIR 74/2026, K5 Peravallur Police Station, Chennai
- Date: 30 March 2026, during election campaigning
- Charge: alleged public disturbance / unlawful assembly
- BNS sections: 189(2) [unlawful assembly], 126(2) [wrongful restraint], 223 [disobedience to public servant], 115(2) [voluntarily causing hurt]
- Status: pending investigation, no charges framed
Case 2 — FIR 108/2025, Koodakovil Police Station, Madurai
- Date: 21 August 2025 — incident during a TVK party event
- Charge: alleged disobedience to public-servant order
- Status: pending
Affidavit-discrepancy proceeding (separate, not criminal)
On 20 April 2026, the Madras High Court issued notice to Vijay, the ECI and the Income Tax Department on a plea alleging a ₹100 crore discrepancy between the affidavits filed for Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East, plus a delayed disclosure of two pending criminal cases. This is a civil writ proceeding, not a criminal case. Hearing pending.
Career timeline
- 22 Jun 1974Born in Madras (now Chennai). Father S. A. Chandrasekaran (film director, Christian); mother Shoba Chandrasekhar (playback singer, Hindu) — interfaith family.
- 1984Child-actor debut in Vetri, his father's film, at age ~10.
- 1992Lead-role debut in Naalaiya Theerpu at age 18. Drops out of Loyola College (Visual Communication degree) to pursue acting full-time.
- 25 Aug 1999Marries Sangeetha Sornalingam (Sri Lankan Tamil; daughter of an industrialist) in a Hindu-and-Christian ceremony in Chennai.
- 2009Founds Vijay Makkal Iyakkam — a fan organisation that becomes the political grassroots base of TVK.
- 2 Feb 2024Formally launches Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) as a political party; becomes party president.
- Oct 2024First TVK conference — drew approximately 800,000 attendees.
- 2025Steps back from acting; final film released. Full-time politics from this point.
- 27 Sep 2025Karur tragedy at a TVK roadshow — 41 lives lost in a crowd-crush; 80+ injured. Vijay announces ₹20 lakh compensation to deceased families and ₹2 lakh to injured. CBI investigation initiated.
- 27 Feb 2026Sangeetha Sornalingam files for divorce at the Chengalpattu Family Court, citing infidelity, mental torment and emotional neglect. Hearing pushed to 15 June 2026.
- 18 Mar 2026TVK rules out alliances. Vijay announces party will contest all 234 seats alone.
- 30 Mar 2026Vijay files nomination from Perambur (AC 12) and Tiruchirappalli East (AC 141) — both DMK strongholds.
- 23 Apr 2026Polling day. 85.1 % turnout — highest ever in Tamil Nadu (11 points above 2021).
- 4 May 2026Counting day. TVK 108 · DMK 59 · AIADMK 47 · INC 5. First hung assembly in Tamil Nadu since 1952. Vijay wins both seats — only the second TN debutant after MGR (1977) to win two seats simultaneously.
- 9 May 2026Governor Rajendra Arlekar formally appoints Vijay as Chief Minister-designate after VCK and IUML join the bloc, taking the count to 120 letters in writing.
- 10 May 2026Sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at 10:00 AM at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai. 10 ministers sworn in alongside. Confidence vote required by 13 May.
Election history — Perambur (AC 12)
Vijay's first electoral contest. Perambur has historically been a DMK stronghold; the 2026 result is a sharp reversal.
| Year | Winner | Party | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | C. Joseph Vijay | TVK | ~1.20 L | DMK candidate |
| 2021 | R. D. Sekar | DMK | ~22,000 | AIADMK |
| 2016 | R. D. Sekar | DMK | — | AIADMK |
Note — 2026 numbers from ECI Form 21 results. Pre-2026 historical numbers are approximate; full per-seat history is available on the Perambur seat page.
Vijay also won Tiruchirappalli East (AC 141) by ~91,000 votes — see that seat page for the contest detail.
Family
- Father: S. A. Chandrasekaran — Tamil film director, screenwriter, producer (Christian background)
- Mother: Shoba Chandrasekhar — playback singer (Hindu background)
- Spouse: Sangeetha Sornalingam — Sri Lankan Tamil, daughter of an industrialist; married 25 August 1999. Filed for divorce February 2026; case pending at Chengalpattu Family Court (next hearing 15 June 2026).
- Son: Jason Sanjay — actor
- Daughter: Dhivya Sasha
TVK — party founding & ideology
Vijay founded Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on 2 February 2024 from his fan organisation Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (founded 2009). He serves as party president.
Stated ideology
TVK aligns with centre-left politics, emphasising "secular social justice" and drawing inspiration from Ambedkar, Periyar and Kamaraj. The party publicly opposes right-wing politics — terming the BJP an "ideological opponent" — and labels DMK a "political adversary".
Key policy positions (pre-election)
- Opposition to NEET examination requirements
- Advocacy for transferring education authority to state control
- Women-centric welfare promises announced March 2026
- Criticised Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 publicly: "would disrupt the social religious harmony of the nation"
2026 result
TVK contested all 234 Tamil Nadu Assembly seats and won 108 — emerging as the single-largest party. In Puducherry, the party won 2 of 30 seats. Statewide TVK polled ~28.6 % vote share.
Awards & recognition
- Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor — for Kadhalukku Mariyadhai
- Kalaimaamani Award (Tamil Nadu government cultural award) — 1998
- Honorary doctorate — Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute University, 2007
- Best International Actor — International Achievement Recognition Awards, 2018, for Mersal
Notable statements
Official channels
FAQ
How much is C. Joseph Vijay's net worth?
His ECI affidavit declares ~₹648.85 crore in total assets — ₹426 cr movable (mostly bank deposits and FDs of ₹330 cr) and ₹222.7 cr immovable. Liabilities are ₹7.6 cr (mostly income-tax disputes). Annual income for FY 2024–25: ₹184.53 cr.
Does C. Joseph Vijay have any criminal cases?
Two pending cases were declared in his revised ECI affidavit. Both are protest-related: FIR 74/2026 at K5 Peravallur (Chennai, March 2026, public disturbance during campaigning) and FIR 108/2025 at Koodakovil (Madurai, August 2025, party event). BNS sections cited: 189(2), 126(2), 223, 115(2). No convictions or charges framed.
Where did Vijay study?
School: Fathima Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kodambakkam (~1979–1985); Balalok Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Virugambakkam (~1985–1991). College: Loyola College, Chennai (1991–1992) — pursued a Bachelor's in Visual Communication; dropped out in 1992 after the second year to focus on his acting career. Honorary doctorate from Dr. M.G.R. University (2007).
When did Vijay found TVK?
Vijay launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on 2 February 2024. The party emerged from his fan organisation Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (founded 2009). TVK contested all 234 Tamil Nadu Assembly seats in 2026, won 108 (single-largest), and Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister on 10 May 2026.
What is TVK's ideology?
TVK aligns with centre-left politics, emphasising "secular social justice" and drawing inspiration from Ambedkar, Periyar and Kamaraj. The party publicly opposes right-wing politics — terming the BJP an "ideological opponent" — and labels DMK a "political adversary".
What is the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam?
Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (founded 2009) is the fan organisation Vijay built during his acting career. It served as the political grassroots base from which TVK was launched on 2 February 2024.
What was the Karur tragedy?
On 27 September 2025 a crowd-crush at a TVK campaign roadshow in Karur killed at least 41 people and injured 80+. Vijay announced ₹20 lakh compensation to deceased families and ₹2 lakh to injured. CBI investigation is ongoing.
Is Vijay an MLA from one seat or two?
He won both Perambur (AC 12) and Tiruchirappalli East (AC 141) — only the second TN debutant after MGR (1977) to win two seats simultaneously. Constitutional rules require him to vacate one within 14 days of taking oath; the vacated seat triggers a bye-election.
Will Vijay keep Perambur or Trichy East?
Not announced as of 10 May 2026. Convention favours retaining the seat won by the larger margin (Perambur, ~1.20L) over Trichy East (~91K), but the choice is political and will be confirmed in the days following oath. The vacated seat will trigger a bye-election.
When did Vijay enter politics?
His political organising began with the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam fan-organisation in 2009. He formally entered electoral politics by founding TVK on 2 February 2024 and stepping back from acting in 2025. The 2026 Assembly election was his first electoral contest.
Why is the Madras High Court hearing a case against Vijay?
On 20 April 2026 the High Court issued notice to Vijay, the ECI and the Income Tax Department on a plea alleging a ₹100 crore discrepancy between the affidavits filed for Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East, plus a delayed disclosure of two pending criminal cases. This is a civil writ petition — not a criminal proceeding. Hearing pending.
What awards has Vijay received?
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor (for Kadhalukku Mariyadhai); Kalaimaamani Award (1998); Honorary doctorate from Dr. M.G.R. University (2007); Best International Actor at the International Achievement Recognition Awards (2018, for Mersal).
Sources & citations
Every fact on this page is sourced from a primary or reputable secondary source. By section:
- ECI affidavit (assets, criminal, education): myneta.info · sworn document filed with the Election Commission of India.
- Biography, education, family: Wikipedia · Vijay (actor) · Ummid News (4 May 2026) · Asianet.
- TVK party history: Wikipedia · TVK · tvk.com.in.
- Asset details: The Federal · 9 May 2026 · BusinessToday · 7 May 2026 · Brut.
- Criminal cases & HC notice: LiveLaw · 21 April 2026 · The Statesman · Onmanorama.
- Karur tragedy: Wikipedia · TVK + national news outlets.
- 2026 election results: Election Commission of India · Form 21 · TN Explorer's own dataset.
- Divorce filing: India TV · 27 Feb 2026 · Pinkvilla.
Editorial note: All financial figures are taken from the candidate's own ECI affidavit (a sworn legal document). Asset values may vary slightly across reports because the affidavit aggregates many sub-line items. Where disputed (e.g. the alleged ₹100 cr discrepancy), the Madras High Court is the active forum. Page updated when court decisions or new affidavit filings change material facts.