Tamil Nadu CM Vijay's wife withdraws divorce petition, ending court proceedings

Divorce petition withdrawn via video conference

Sangeetha, wife of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, withdrew her divorce petition on Friday, ending proceedings before the Chengalpattu Family Court located approximately 56 kilometers from Chennai.

Appearing via video conference, Sangeetha informed Judge Sujatha that she no longer wished to pursue the petition. After questioning her, the court accepted the withdrawal and closed the case.

The divorce petition had been filed earlier this year. In it, Sangeetha alleged that Vijay was involved in an extramarital relationship with an actress. She stated that she became aware of the alleged relationship in April 2021 and that it caused her emotional distress and affected the family. The allegations were made in the divorce proceedings and have not been established by a court. Vijay has not publicly confirmed the allegations.

Political context adds scrutiny

The case attracted considerable public attention due to Vijay's prominent political profile. The actor-turned-politician founded the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on 2 February 2024, building the party on principles of egalitarianism, secularism, and social justice. In February 2024, he announced his retirement from films to focus on politics, with his final film being Jana Nayagan (People's Hero) released in 2026.

Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of film actors entering politics. Actor M.G. Ramachandran served as Chief Minister from 1977 until his death in 1987, while actress J. Jayalalithaa became Tamil Nadu's youngest chief minister in 1991. Vijay, popularly known as 'Thalapathy' (meaning 'Leader' or 'Commander'), is regarded as one of Tamil cinema's biggest stars.

In the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election held on 23 April 2026, TVK emerged as the single largest party, winning 108 seats in the 234-member assembly and ending a 59-year streak of dominance by Dravidian parties in the state. The election recorded the highest voter turnout in the state's history at 85.1 percent, with results declared on 4 May 2026.

TVK formed a majority government with support from the Indian National Congress, VCK, and IUML, creating the TVK+ alliance with 116 seats total. Vijay assumed office as the 22nd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 10 May 2026.

Affidavit questions dismissed

The proceedings had also prompted questions surrounding Vijay's election affidavit, including a declaration that he had lent Rs12.60 crore to Sangeetha. A petition before the Madras High Court seeking an inquiry into the affidavit was dismissed in April, with the court noting that a similar petition had already been rejected. The court permitted Sangeetha to withdraw the petition and granted her liberty to file a fresh petition in the future, if required.

Vijay and Sangeetha married in 1999 and have two children, Jason Sanjay and Divya Shasha.