Where Will Vijay Contest?

The constituency from which actor-turned-politician Vijay will contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections remains one of the most closely watched questions in the State’s political landscape.

Emerging indications within the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) suggest that the party leader may choose either Perambur in North Chennai or Tiruchirappalli (East) as his electoral battleground.

According to senior leaders within the party, both constituencies are under serious consideration as Vijay prepares for his first Assembly election as a political leader.

A top TVK functionary said the party chief is likely to select a relatively compact constituency that would allow him to campaign extensively across the State for other party candidates.

“He would choose either Perambur or Tiruchy East. Both are smaller in size, which will make it easier for him to campaign in other constituencies as well,” a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.

Speculation about Perambur gained momentum after Vijay himself appeared to hint at the possibility during recent interactions with party aspirants. During one such meeting, he reportedly asked them, “Shall I come to Perambur frequently?”

The TVK leader has been holding consultations with aspirants and party leaders since March 10 as part of preparations for the Assembly polls.

Earlier, at a meeting of party cadres on February 22, a resolution was passed urging Vijay to contest from Perambur. The resolution was reportedly moved by the party’s campaign management secretary, Aadhav Arjun.

TVK general secretary N. Anand had then said the party leadership would convey the cadres’ request to Vijay.

Perambur, a major industrial and residential hub in Chennai, is best known for housing the Integral Coach Factory (ICF). The constituency has nearly 3 lakh voters and a socially diverse electorate. Dalits account for about 24 per cent of the population, while the area also has a notable Anglo-Indian community.

Politically, Perambur has largely remained a stronghold of the DMK and its allies.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, DMK candidate R.D. Shekar won the seat by a margin of 54,976 votes against AIADMK’s N.R. Dhanapalan. However, in the 2016 elections, the AIADMK had managed to secure the constituency with a narrow victory margin.

The other option under consideration is Tiruchirappalli (East), an urban constituency formed in 2011 with more than 2.5 lakh voters. The seat is currently represented by DMK’s Inigo Irudayaraj, who won the 2021 election by defeating AIADMK’s Vellamandi Natarajan by a margin of 53,797 votes.

With urban voters forming a significant portion of the electorate and minority communities accounting for nearly a quarter of the population, Tiruchy East is also seen as a politically strategic constituency.

The final decision on Vijay’s constituency is expected to be announced soon as the State moves closer to the Assembly election schedule.