TIRUCHY: The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) recent bypoll victories appear to have spurred election activity in Viralimalai, where former AIADMK minister C Vijayabaskar is said to have begun preliminary preparations, apparently hoping to secure the party ticket for the constituency after joining the ruling.

The move comes as the AIADMK and the DMK work out strategies to take on him, with the latter’s local functionaries proposing M Palaniappan as its candidate.

TVK’s decision to field former AIADMK MLAs in the Dharapuram and Madurantakam bypolls may have reinforced Vijayabaskar’s expectation that the party would similarly back him in Viralimalai. Having resigned as MLA and quit the AIADMK to join TVK, he is now looking to contest the bypoll under a different party symbol.

Since the Viralimalai constituency was created after the 2011 delimitation, Vijayabaskar has won all four Assembly elections, with the DMK finishing second each time. He was also elected from Pudukkottai in 2001, taking his tally to five Assembly victories. In the 2021 election, he won Viralimalai by a margin of 62,073 votes, riding on the AIADMK’s traditional support base and the appeal of its ‘two leaves’ symbol.

However, his early groundwork in the constituency has raised questions about how well he will be received by his new party’s local cadre. TVK sources said only a few party members turned up for his first visit to Viralimalai after he joined the party, suggesting some local functionaries have reservations.

The election activity also comes amid speculation over the source of funding for the preliminary campaign. Vijayabaskar’s supporters have begun groundwork, though it remains unclear whether he is funding it personally or the party is.

His departure has reportedly caused resentment among sections of the AIADMK cadre, who feel their efforts helped him secure a substantial victory in 2026. He could face resistance from former party colleagues.