‘Effective oversight’: TVK chief Vijay to retain Perambur, quit Trichy East after dual win in TN polls

At a meeting with newly elected MLAs, TVK legislators back Vijay retaining Perambur, citing proximity to the secretariat, stronger urban base, and quicker response to constituents.

TVK chief Vijay arrives at the party headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday | ANI

Chennai: After making a remarkable debut in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections and winning both Trichy East and Perambur, actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay is set to resign from Trichy East and retain Perambur.

TVK secured 108 seats and is currently in talks over a possible coalition with other minor parties. The decision to quit Trichy East is strategic, given that Vijay is prioritising his stronger urban base and had a bigger mandate in Perambur than in Trichy East.

During a meeting with the newly elected MLAs at the party headquarters Tuesday, the 106 legislators submitted letters accepting Vijay as the party leader. Those present at the meeting said Vijay would have a stronger urban base and more effective representation in Chennai.

Vijay’s victory margin in Perambur is almost double that in Trichy East. He defeated DMK’s RD Sekar in Perambur by more than 53,715 votes, compared with a narrower victory of 27,416 votes against DMK’s Inigo Irudayaraj in Trichy East. The larger margin in Perambur reflects stronger support among working-class voters and youngsters, and gives Vijay a firmer foundation for his legislative presence.

“Perambur is closer to the state secretariat and party headquarters, which would enable effective oversight, greater involvement and a quicker response to the needs of the people in the constituency. While Trichy East is also an important urban seat, it received a comparatively lower mandate and is geographically distant as well,” said a party functionary.

During the meeting, Vijay emphasised the need to build a united front focused on issues related to governance, development and public policy. Being closer to Chennai, Perambur would also keep him more accessible to the people in his constituency, the functionaries said.

“Perambur has a mixed working-class population and remains an industrial belt. TVK has already managed to penetrate the voter base here, which would give us the opportunity to work at the grassroots level and undertake overall development for the people of Chennai,” said a district functionary of the party.

A bypoll is expected in Trichy East in the coming days, which would offer TVK an opportunity to field a local leader. While formal confirmation from the party is awaited, Perambur appears to be Vijay’s preferred seat.

(Edited by Shashank Kishan)