Actor-turned-politician Vijay is likely to make his poll debut from the northern Chennai region of Perambur, according to reports. The founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is yet to officially announce the constituency from which he will seek the mandate, but reports are that Vijay will launch his campaign from Perambur on Wednesday or Thursday.
The TVK team has reportedly rented a home at Kodungaiyur, at Kannadasan Nagar, for Vijay to stay.
Amid the chatter about his debut, a pre-poll survey has emerged predicting the chances for Vijay in the upcoming Assembly elections. According to the opinion poll conducted by Agni News Service, Vijay is unlikely to win from the Perambur seat. The agency projects that TVK leader Vijay will finish second in Perambur.
Perambur, where the ICF coach factory is located, is a predominantly working-class and middle-class area with a significant chunk of socially backward people and Christian minorities. It is also a stronghold of Vanniyar, Wodeyar, Thevar and Mudaliar communities.
TVK pins its hopes on the party’s voter base in the region. Party general secretary Adhava Arjun told reporters that the party had connected with over 40,000 people in the constituency in a short time, which was unprecedented in any other constituency. “Therefore, our leader should contest here, which is an important part of North Chennai,” Adhav Arjuna said.
That said, the survey predicted that TVK is, however, likely to get 9.7% vote share.
Meanwhile, another poll survey by News 18 predicted that Vijay’s TVK may win two to eight seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections.
Though the DMK and AIADMK are yet to announce its candidates, speculations are that DMK may retain current MLA R D Shekhar in the seat. Shekhar had won the 2019 by -election and the 2021 Assembly election. Hailing from the Vanniyur community, Shekhar is known to be very close to Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and is seeking a chance to contest again in the 2026 elections.
Also read
- Has BJP's influence grown in Tamil Nadu? Why the AIADMK alliance allocated 27 seats to party for Assembly polls
- Tamil Nadu assembly polls: How many seats will AIADMK contest as BJP gets 27
- The disruptor pact: How V.K. Sasikala-S. Ramadoss alliance could upend 2026 poll math in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
As for AIADMK, rumours are that the party plans to contest M A Xavier, a member of the Wodeyar community, who is a popular leader in the constituency. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami had initially planned to allocate the Perambur constituency to an alliance party, but is said to have reconsidered the decision, considering how the constituency is now in the limelight following the potential arrival of Vijay.
Political observers believe that Xavier can break the stronghold of DMK and deal with Vijay's arrival. Xavier has been providing various welfare assistance in the Perambur area for the last 25 years and is a very familiar face to the people of the constituency.
