Perambur or Tiruchy East? Vijay’s constituency choice sparks debate ahead of TN polls

The constituency from which actor-turned-politician Vijay will contest the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has become a major point of discussion in the state’s political circles.

Sources within the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) indicate that the party leader is considering two possible constituencies for his electoral debut — Perambur in North Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East.

Senior figures in the party say both seats are under active consideration as Vijay prepares to contest his first Assembly election since launching his political outfit.

According to a senior TVK functionary, the party chief is likely to opt for a relatively compact constituency, allowing him to travel extensively across the state to campaign for other candidates.

“He would choose either Perambur or Tiruchy East. Both are smaller constituencies, which would make it easier for him to campaign elsewhere as well,” the party leader said.

Speculation around Perambur intensified after Vijay appeared to hint at the possibility during a recent interaction with party aspirants, when he reportedly asked whether he should visit the constituency frequently.

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

Earlier, at a meeting of party cadres on 22 February, a resolution was adopted urging Vijay to contest from Perambur. The proposal was reportedly moved by the party’s campaign management secretary Aadhav Arjun. TVK general secretary N. Anand said at the time that the request from cadres would be conveyed to the party leader.

Perambur is a major industrial and residential area of Chennai and is home to the Integral Coach Factory, one of India’s key railway manufacturing units. The constituency has nearly 300,000 voters and a socially diverse electorate, including a sizeable Dalit population and a notable Anglo-Indian community.

Politically, the seat has largely been considered a stronghold of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies. In the 2021 Assembly election, DMK candidate R. D. Shekar defeated N. R. Dhanapalan of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) by a margin of 54,976 votes. The AIADMK had earlier won the constituency in the 2016 election by a narrow margin.

The other option under discussion, Tiruchirappalli East, is an urban constituency created in 2011 and has more than 250,000 voters. The seat is currently represented by DMK legislator Inigo Irudayaraj, who defeated AIADMK’s Vellamandi Natarajan by 53,797 votes in the 2021 election.

With a significant urban electorate and minority communities forming nearly a quarter of the population, Tiruchy East is also viewed as a strategically important seat.

A final decision on Vijay’s constituency is expected to be announced soon as preparations intensify for the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

With IANS inputs