Not ours, but best of luck: Vijay's party reacts to TVK unit in West Bengal

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the party founded by actor-turned-Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, has a message for some of its particularly enthusiastic fans in the state of West Bengal. After a group of supporters inaugurated what they called the TVK's very first office in the state, the party has denied any involvement in the move. That being said, it is also wishing its "Bengali well-wishers best of luck".

According to a report in Aaj Tak Bangla, individuals identifying themselves as members of the TVK inaugurated "the party's first office" in West Bengal on Sunday (September 27) with one individual claiming it was done after "instructions came from Tamil Nadu".

This is not the first time that fans of TVK (and of Vijay) have taken it upon themselves to set up party offices outside Tamil Nadu.

After th TVK swept to power in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections back in May, the two-year-old outfit has accrued a loyal following from across the country.

Immediately after TVK's May electoral landslide, the Hyderabad-based Deccan Chronicle had reported that TVK supporters in Kerala had applied on the My TVK app to set up an office in Wayanad district.

And according to local media reports and social media posts, an office was inaugurated on September 13 in Palakkad district.

There is, however, just one hitch. According to advocate and TVK spokesperson Sankavi Dyannah Tuhinsamuel, who spoke to India Today Digital, the party at the moment has "no expansion plans" beyond Tamil Nadu, and is at the moment, focused only on governance.BENGAL TVK FANS CLAIM INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED FROM TAMIL NADU TO SET UP OFFICE

According to the Aaj Tak Bangla, the so-called TVK office was inaugurated in Fagupur in Purba Bardhaman on Sunday in the presence of supporters from across West Bengal. Among them was Chaitali Roy, who identified herself as the party's state coordinator, and stated that the TVK currently has around 5,000 supporters in Bengal.

Speaking to reporters, Roy said the office was set up after "receiving instructions from Tamil Nadu". Aaj Tak Bangla reported that the unit's initial focus would be on social work rather than political activity, with plans to expand its organisation across districts and conduct social programmes.

"First, we will promote ourselves on social media. Later, we will focus on public outreach to understand people's problems and difficulties. Our focus is on education and jobs," Roy said.

Roy further added that she was hopeful that one day, candidates from the TVK would stand for elections in West Bengal itself.

"We want the TVK to contest elections, but everything will depend on what the people of Bengal want. Our top leadership will decide which election we will contest," Roy was quoted as saying by Aaj Tak Bangla.

Regarding whether Vijay will pay a visit to West Bengal, Chaitali Roy told Aaj Tak Bangla that no date has been finalised yet.

However, she hoped that the superstar from the south would certainly visit Bengal if TVK manages to establish itself successfully in the state.

"He is currently busy with the by-election. If he is successful, Vijay sir will definitely come," Roy told Aaj Tak Bangla. For context, by-elections are being held for two seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, those being Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district.

The polls were necessitated after the sitting AIADMK MLAs, Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, resigned from the Assembly and subsequently joined the ruling TVK. Both constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.TVK SPOKESPERSON DENIES ANY LINK TO BENGAL, SAYS PARTY FOCUSED ON TAMIL NADU

But while Chaitali Roy and her compatriots are planning to take the TVK across West Bengal and get party founder Vijay to visit the state, the party itself, however, has other plans.

Speaking to India Today Digital, advocate and TVK spokesperson, Sankavi Dyannah Tuhinsamuel stated that the party has not officially established any office or organisational branch in West Bengal and elsewhere.

"TVK has not officially established any party office or branch in West Bengal," stated Sankavi, adding that the project "operates entirely without any official authorisation, backing or organisational links to TVK's central party leadership in Tamil Nadu."

Sankavi told India Today Digital that it is possible that the ones who set up the office in West Bengal might have been "inspired" by the party's leadership. She told India Today Digital, "The entity or office setup you are referring to is an independent initiative by local supporters inspired by our TVK party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay sir's leadership."

More importantly, despite what the party's fans across India might have been asking for, TVK itself has no plans to expand beyond Tamil Nadu for the time being.

"At present, TVK remains focused on its primary political activities, fulfilling its election manifesto as much as possible, and on public initiatives in Tamil Nadu. I'm sure TVK has not announced any official plans for organisational expansion into West Bengal," Sankavi told India Today Digital.

All this being said, Sankavi had a message from the party to those setting up TVK offices without official backing.

"Ironically, and on a positive note, I feel very happy about the significant support from people in West Bengal who are favouring TVK because of the politics happening in Tamil Nadu," she told India Today Digital, adding, "There are no plans for expanding the organisational presence and outreach. I guess Vijay Thalapathy has a lot of admirers over there."

In any case, reports of supporters seeking to open, and in some cases actually setting up, party offices from Kerala to West Bengal point to the interest the TVK has generated in Tamil Nadu and beyond. The outfit might be focused only on Tamil Nadu (for now at least), but the party, founded by superstar actor Vijay just over two years ago, has attracted considerable attention across India.- Ends

A history and geopolitics buff, Shounak is a newly minted writer. He looks to bring his interests into his stories. When not at work, he can be found consumed in books, videogames and drawing.