Chennai: A former MLA who defeated the sitting chief minister, an engineering graduate with no political antecedents, and a former Indian Revenue Services (IRS) officer. The list of newly elected legislators from Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) reflects a mix of administrators, grassroots leaders and new faces.
Party sources told ThePrint that around 80 percent of those elected on a TVK ticket are first-time MLAs with no political background.
On Wednesday, Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar to stake claim to form the government given that the TVK has emerged as the single-largest party in the state, though short of a majority by a whisker. The Congress, which was allied with the DMK until 24 hours ago, has extended unconditional support to the TVK but it will need the support of at least six more MLAs to prove a majority, after Vijay resigns one of the two seats he won.
Many newly elected TVK MLAs are currently staying at a resort in Mahabalipuram, it learnt.
ThePrint looks at new faces and experienced politicians who rode the Vijay wave.
VS Babu: The giant slayer
One of TVK’s biggest victories came in Kolathur, where 75-year-old former DMK leader V.S. Babu defeated party chief M.K. Stalin by a margin of 8,795 votes.
Babu, who was DMK MLA from the erstwhile Purusaiwalkam constituency between 2006 and 2011, also served as the party’s North Chennai district secretary.
After parting ways with DMK owing to differences with the leadership, Babu joined AIADMK in 2016. He hitched his wagon to the TVK in February this year and was appointed joint general secretary.
On winning Kolathur, Babu told the media that the mandate was a result of Vijay’s leadership and vision. “The people’s support played a crucial role in the outcome. I will maintain integrity in public service and not engage in any form of corrupt practices. My focus would remain on transparent governance and addressing the needs of the people,” he said.
New faces
Among new faces TVK bet on was 30-year-old R. Sabarinathan who defeated DMK’s A.M.V. Prabhakara Raja in Virugampakkam by a margin of 27,086 votes.
Sabarinathan’s father Rajendran has been Vijay’s chauffeur and personal aide since the actor’s debut movie Naalaiya Theerpu (1992). A mechanical engineer, Sabarinathan came into the limelight when a video emerged in the run-up to the elections of him getting emotional after Vijay announced his candidature.
Another young face the TVK backed was 30-year-old Rhevanth Charan. An advocate who heads the party’s legal wing, Charan defeated DMK’s K. Ganapathy in Maduravoyal by a margin of 61,509 votes.
Keerthana Sampath, who defeated G. Ashokan of the Congress to win Sivakasi seat with a margin of 11,670 votes, is another example of how Vijay’s political upstart put its faith in new faces. Sampath, 30, is a postgraduate who worked earlier as a digital media consultant with Showtime Consulting and as a political strategist with I-PAC.
Cabinet hopefuls
Among TVK heavyweights expected to play prominent roles in government is TVK general secretary and Vijay’s close aide N. Anand who won from Chennai’s T Nagar constituency.
Anand has been associated with TVK since its inception in February 2024. He played a key role in mobilising Vijay’s fan clubs and is widely regarded for his administrative and organisational skills. He could possibly get the home affairs or public works portfolio.
TVK deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna, formerly a Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) functionary, is also expected to get an important role in government after his victory from Villivakkam.
Another Cabinet hopeful is former AIADMK leader K.A. Sengottaiyan who was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1972. He won from his bastion Gobichettipalayam, with 16,620 more votes than his nearest rival, DMK’s N. Nallasivam.
Also likely to find a place in Vijay’s Council of Ministers are K.G. Arunraj, R. Nirmalkumar and P. Venkataramanan.
Arunraj, a former IRS officer who also holds an MBBS degree from Madras Medical College, took voluntary retirement to join TVK in mid-2025. He was appointed general secretary for press and policy. He won from Tiruchengodu by defeating his nearest rival, the AIADMK candidate, by a margin of 28,172 votes.
Nirmalkumar, who won Thiruparankundram for TVK, could find a place in the government since the seat falls in Madurai, traditionally an AIADMK stronghold.
Venkataramanan is in the running for a ministerial position since he defeated BJP candidate and former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan in Mylapore by a margin of 29,000 votes. Venkataramanan is also TVK treasurer and a longtime associate of Vijay.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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