The Election Commission awarded Thalapathy Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) the ‘whistle’ symbol on January 21, 2026, which strengthened their campaign efforts for the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
TVK made its Election Symbols Order application according to the rules of the 1968 Election Symbols Order, which requires parties to show their preferred symbols. The ECI granted it as the common symbol for all 234 constituencies plus Puducherry, days after Vijay formed district campaign committees on January 16.
Why Whistle Symbol?
Vijay selected the whistle as his first choice among three options, which included the auto and mike, which he had included in his list of preferences. This well-liked track from his 2019 movie Bigil contains the “Whistle Podu” chant, which links to his movie. The fan-favorite track from the 2019 movie lets listeners experience stadium celebrations and victory moments, and alertness, which makes it suitable for TVK’s anti-corruption and social justice message. The device offers straightforward operation because people can use it during rallies, and everyone can identify it immediately through their awareness of Vijay Makkal Iyakkam clubs.
Election Commission of India allots ‘Whistle’ and ‘Battery Torch’ as election symbols to actor Vijay’s TVK and actor Kamal Haasan’s MNM, respectively, for the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/YJLyzEWppb
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026
Reasons for Early Symbol Before Polls
Securing it five months pre-polls (April-May 2026) aids strategy:
- Builds voter recall through unified posters and merchandise.
- Enables swift grassroots mobilization without per-candidate lotteries.
- Aligned with Vijay’s January 25 political return post-Jana Nayagan, accelerating manifesto and alliances.
What is the political impact?
The symbol motivates cadre members who work during CBI investigations in Karur because it establishes TVK as a contender against both DMK and AIADMK. The analysts believe that the system boosts Vijay’s appeal to first-time voters because they see his full power through unified symbols, while actor-parties from previous times used separate symbols. The whistle-related campaigns will take over social media platforms, which will influence the voting behavior of young people from both urban and rural areas throughout Dravidian territory.
