After participating in a carefully crafted indoor Iftar gathering at Mamallapuram on the outskirts of Chennai, actor and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay, on Wednesday, chose to categorically put an end to weeks of speculation over TVK’s alliance plans. He said his party will be anchored on the ideals of social justice and secularism, ruling out any tie-up with the BJP-led NDA.
Vijay’s statement came in the backdrop of intense speculations, including TVK’s negotiations with the NDA. The party’s election strategy general secretary had earlier said that the NDA had offered 90 constituencies and the post of chief minister to Vijay, but the actor-turned-politician declined the offer. And now, with the decision to go solo, party sources indicate that the senior leadership team in TVK is exploring all options to contest from constituencies in Chennai. Vijay is expected to make his electoral debut from the Perambur constituency in Chennai.
Earlier, it was said that Vijay was exploring the option of contesting from Trichy East, which again is a semi-urban constituency with a considerable number of minority votes. His team had also been exploring opportunities in the Velachery constituency in Chennai, which has the maximum number of educated and young voters.
A key assembly constituency in Chennai, Perambur in North Chennai, was won by R.D. Shekar from the DMK in 2021 with 1,05,267 votes. Considered to be a semi-urban constituency with residential and industrial areas, Perambur is predominantly a working-class area. One of the biggest assembly constituencies in Chennai, Perambur has more than 2.20 lakh voters. Known to be the DMK’s fiefdom, Perambur has been won by the Marxist Communists and also by the AIADMK in past elections. As per sources, Perambur has emerged as the first choice for Vijay to contest after an internal survey by TVK’s strategy team found a favourable outcome for the party.
With Perambur being the choice for Vijay, the party’s second-rung leaders, including TVK general secretary N. Anand, also known as Bussy Anand, are expected to contest from constituencies in Chennai, particularly those where the DMK is considered to be strong. Sources indicate that Anand will contest from the T. Nagar constituency in South Chennai, and Aadhav Arjuna is likely to enter the fray from Villivakkam. Former AIADMK MLA J.C.D. Prabhakar, who joined TVK, is likely to be fielded from Thousand Lights. TVK’s party treasurer P. Venkataraman is likely to contest from Mylapore. Former MLA V.S. Babu, who joined TVK recently, is likely to be fielded against Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the Kolathur constituency.
Apart from the top leaders, other known faces in the party like Maria Wilson, a businessman associated with the JPR Group of educational institutions, might contest from R.K. Nagar, and TVK deputy general secretaries M. Arul Prakasam and A. Rajmohan are expected to be fielded from Saidapet and Egmore. The idea of fielding known faces in Chennai is to attract more media attention on one side and also to tap into the youth and women voters. TVK considers youth and women voters as its core support base. In 2021, the DMK and its allies had won all 16 assembly segments in Chennai, making it the DMK’s fiefdom.
And in the west, former minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, who defected from the AIADMK, is expected to contest from his home turf, Gobichettipalayam. TVK’s policy and propaganda general secretary and former IRS officer R. Arunraaj is expected to be fielded from Tiruchengode, while its joint general secretary C.T.R. Nirmalkumar, who defected from the BJP after a brief stint with the AIADMK, is expected to enter the fray from Tirupparankundram.
