Tamil Nadu election impact: Sun TV Network shares plunge 10% as Vijay’s TVK heads for big upset

Shares of Sun TV Network fell as much as 9.5% to an intraday low of Rs 547.55 on the BSE on Monday, as early counting trends indicated that actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) could deliver a major upset to the long-standing dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu's electoral politics.

Sun TV is part of the Sun Group, controlled by media baron Kalanithi Maran — grandnephew of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and nephew of the incumbent CM, M. K. Stalin, who also heads the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Tamil Nadu election results

According to data from the Election Commission of India, TVK is leading in 108 of the 234 seats, followed by the DMK in 56. The BJP, AIADMK alliance is leading in 35 seats, followed by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) in 6 seats. Meanwhile, the CPI (Communist Party of India (CPI) is leading in 2 assembly constituencies.


TVK is ahead in key constituencies such as Tiruchi East and Perambur. It has also pushed AIADMK to the third position in several seats. These trends point to a potential shift away from the state’s traditional two-party political framework.

DMK & AIADMK rivalry

For over five decades, Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has been shaped by two Dravidian parties, the DMK, founded by C. N. Annadurai in 1949, and the AIADMK, established in 1972 by M. G. Ramachandran after breaking away from the DMK. Since 1967, every chief minister in the state has belonged to one of these two parties.

Since the 1990s, neither party has typically contested elections independently. Both have relied on alliances with national parties such as the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, along with regional players like the PMK, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and Indian Union Muslim League, which bring support from specific voter groups.

The composition of these alliances often plays a key role in deciding election outcomes. In 2021, the DMK-led alliance included INC, VCK, CPI and CPI(M), while the AIADMK-led alliance comprised BJP and PMK.

Even though TVK remained short of the majority mark of 118, the party’s emergence as the single largest formation represents a watershed moment in Tamil Nadu politics and positions Vijay at the centre of intense coalition arithmetic.

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