Dhaka, May 4 -- Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar is emerging as a serious contender to break a 49-year jinx in Tamil Nadu politics, with early trends suggesting his party could reshape the state's electoral landscape.

If he wins the 2026 Assembly election, Vijay would become the first actor-turned chief minister since MG Ramachandran, who swept to power in 1977 and ruled until his death in 1987.

Projections for the 234-member House suggest Vijay's fledgling party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is hovering between 100 and 118 seats, NDTV reports.

Reaching the 118-seat majority mark would shatter a 49-year "jinx" that has seen numerous film stars fail to convert fan devotion into executive power.

While the late Jayalalithaa was a screen...