CHENNAI: After toying with various options, actor and TVK president Vijay is said to have decided to contest the forthcoming Assembly elections from two constituencies, Virugambakkam in Chennai and Tiruchy East.
While TVK leaders insist that this is part of a carefully planned strategy to maximise the party’s political reach, sources admitted that the decision is also prompted by the calculation that the nascent party has to be cautious about safeguarding the chances of Vijay, its singular leader and mascot, in his electoral debut.
Party sources said the move was part of a deliberate strategy to blend urban visibility with regional outreach, as the party prepares for its first electoral test. A TVK leader said Virugambakkam would provide a strong urban platform, while Tiruchy East would enable direct engagement with voters in the central region.
According to party workers, Vijay assessed multiple options, including Velachery, Vikravandi, and Nagapattinam, before zeroing in on Virugambakkam. Among the shortlisted constituencies, Virugambakkam was seen as favourable in terms of organisational preparedness and voter familiarity, a party functionary said.
The choice of Tiruchy East, sources said, was guided by the party’s assessment that a presence in central Tamil Nadu would help expand its appeal beyond cities. Party leaders said the central region plays a key role in shaping electoral narratives and that contesting from Tiruchy East would also signal that TVK is not confined to Chennai.
TVK leaders said the campaign strategies for both constituencies would be rolled out shortly.
Party insiders acknowledged that contesting from two constituencies was a cautious political call in a high-stakes contest. As this would be Vijay’s maiden election and given the strength of the ruling DMK’s organisational machinery, they said contesting from two seats would improve his chances of victory.
Virugambakkam and Tiruchy East are currently represented by DMK legislators AMV Prabhakara Raja and Inigo S Irudayaraj, respectively.