Chennai/Trichy: Arvind, a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionary, walks down the narrow streets of Udhaysuriyan Nagar in Perambur every morning and evening, accompanied by a small group of volunteers.
He holds a whistle, the party’s election symbol, and knocks on the doors of small houses. Young children and women gather around as pamphlets featuring TVK chief Vijay’s photo and key promises are distributed.
“I have come here on behalf of our chief Vijay. I am his voice in your street. We know the water comes only once every two days, the drains overflow when it rains, and we understand your struggle for better houses. If Vijay becomes your MLA, we will ensure all these issues are taken care of,” says Arvind.
Some residents cheer with whistles echoing in the streets as the elderly welcome them and wish them success. Others nod in agreement.
This is one of hundreds of daily doorstep conversations across Trichy East and Perambur that form the backbone of the TVK’s campaign ahead of the state assembly election on 23 April.
Party functionaries say this volunteer-driven effort is born out of necessity, alleging that permissions for large rallies and roadshows remain tightly restricted. Authorities have denied the allegations.
There is a lot at stake for the TVK in the two constituencies, Perambur and Trichy East, where party leader Vijay is making his electoral debut.
Vijay has chosen to fight in these two constituencies—which have oscillated between the DMK and AIADMK in recent years—in an attempt to pitch himself and his party as a credible alternative to the two Dravidian majors.
In its debut election, Vijay’s party is going solo, having rejected alliance overtures, and positioning itself as a fresh alternative in what is shaping up as a three-cornered fight featuring the ruling DMK-led alliance, the AIADMK-BJP combine and the TVK.
Despite the high stakes, Vijay has been largely absent from day-to-day street campaigning—and this remains the sharpest criticism of his campaign.
His limited experience and ground presence have also been questioned, which he is trying to counter through volunteer-led doorstep campaigns.
“Vijay has not established himself as an alternative because he is inaccessible and inexperienced. Voters expect leaders to meet them. Where is Vijay?” political analyst Arun Kumar told ThePrint.
The choice of constituencies
The TVK chief’s choice of the two urban constituencies for his electoral debut in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections is calculated.
To begin with, both have significant Dalit and Christian populations, which he is targeting.
Moreover, the party senses a demographic advantage, with Vijay being seen as a change maker among people looking for solutions to unemployment, women’s safety, the drug menace and other civic issues.
Perambur, with over 2.26 lakh voters, has a mix of business and working-class population. Its working class has historically stood with the DMK, while Dalits, including the Adi Dravida and Paraiyar communities, form a substantial base, alongside Christians, including Anglo-Indians, who often feel politically sidelined.
Trichy East, an urban seat with around 2.17 lakh voters spread across 24 corporation wards, sits at the heart of a growing industrial hub near Rockfort. Minorities constitute about 36 percent of the electorate, including Christian Vellalar and Muslim communities, alongside Dalit voters.
Vijay’s Christian background is an advantage, but TVK cadres say the key attraction is people’s hopes of solving civic concerns and governance issues.
“Many leaders come promising development but they do not see what these people tell us. Other leaders only come after five years, promising the same things. We are reaching every doorstep, reminding them of the promises of our leader,” says Aravind, a TVK functionary in Perambur.
Both seats are currently held by the DMK. Perambur was a CPI(M) stronghold for three consecutive terms as a DMK ally. In 2016, the AIADMK’s P. Vetrivel won by 519 votes. However, the seat was won back by R.D. Sekar of the DMK in the 2019 bypoll and in 2021 with a margin of 54,976 votes.
Trichy East was historically an AIADMK seat, which the party won in 2011 and 2016, before the DMK’s Inigo Irudayaraj won it in 2021 with a margin of 53,797 votes as part of an anti-AIADMK wave.
Political analyst Ravindran Thuraisamy says Vijay is a tough candidate in both constituencies. “Besides his star power, he is capable of pulling in good crowds. The Christian population would definitely lean towards Vijay,” he told ThePrint.
But Arun Kumar believes the DMK and AIADMK have an advantage.
“Perambur and Trichy East have significant Christian Dalit populations that TVK is targeting. But the AIADMK and DMK have organisational strength,” Arun Kumar told ThePrint.
TVK’s door-to-door campaign
Whether it’s the older Tamil Nadu Housing Board tenements, the busy markets in Perambur, or the industrial units in Trichy, TVK volunteers start their day campaigning. With pamphlets outlining Vijay’s promises in one hand, they knock on every door, seeking support for the upcoming assembly elections.
“Since our leader cannot go to every household in his constituency due to limited permissions and because he has to travel to every district and extend support to our other candidates, our volunteers are his extensions. Every TVK member is Vijay in themselves,” says V. Siva, Chennai district secretary.
“We will be reaching out to every individual in the constituency and listening to their expectations, which our leader will fulfill, once he becomes the chief minister,” he adds, before he kicks off his daily campaign in Perambur.
TVK functionaries walk through the busy streets of Rockfort and residential areas of K.K. Nagar and Ganapathy Nagar every day, delivering the party chief’s message of smart city development, enhanced safety and providing employment opportunities in the state.
TVK functionaries are pitching Vijay’s vision as a decisive break from the status quo and promise shopkeepers dedicated vending zones.
They also assure them that Vijay will create jobs through IT parks and free skill centres, upgrade healthcare with mobile clinics, redevelop slums with affordable housing, deploy a women’s safety force with pink patrols, or all-women police, and extensive CCTV coverage, and implement a clean Trichy mission.
“Trichy East faces serious civic challenges of irregular drinking water supply, broken roads with heavy traffic congestion, youth unemployment due to lack of skill training, overcrowded government hospitals, poor amenities in slum areas, inadequate women’s safety at night, and irregular garbage clearance,” TVK functionary Malaikottai Palanisamy told ThePrint.
On the ground in Perambur
On the ground in Perambur, frustration runs deep among residents.
Voters complain about a host of issues, from housing to the drug menace.
Bhavani, a daily-wage labourer raising three daughters and a son in one of Perambur’s older tenement clusters, says residents have been ignored for decades.
“I have been living in shed-like accommodation for over 20 years. We are promised a legal deed every election, but we don’t have anyone to help us. How can we pay rent for housing board houses as labourers?” she asks.
People in this star constituency hope for Vijay to deliver on his promises, but they fear that the promises might fade away after the elections.
Meanwhile, Jai, a resident of Udhayasuriyan Nagar, told ThePrint that flooding, garbage piling and poor roads are a perennial issue here.
“They know that our vote is important to them, so every party visits us ahead of elections, but no one is seen on the ground when the same establishments are flooded during heavy rains. The roads are not good in the locality, with major accidents reported almost now and then,” he said.
With the drug menace affecting school-going children, residents are demanding firm action against TASMAC outlets and substance abuse networks.
“No one comes here until the elections. They associate North Madras with a hub of drug menace. We hope there is a change,” says Vanathi, a visually impaired resident of Chinnaiyan Colony for 38 years.
TVK functionaries say that they are going to each house and assuring people that they understand the ground reality.
“We will address concerns related to employment, housing, drainage and drinking water. Our chief Vijay will change the drug hub label,” says V. Siva, the TVK’s Chennai district secretary.
“Even Chief Minister Stalin is representing Kolathur but campaigning throughout the state. Vijay cannot restrict himself to Perambur, so we ensure no house is left,” added Siva.
A DMK functionary in Perambur, however, questions, “If their leader cannot reach the people now, what is the proof that he will address their concerns after the elections?”
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Trichy East: Similar pitch, different expectations
The TVK’s campaign in Trichy is similar, but the concerns on the ground are a bit different here.
Employment and women’s safety are two of the biggest problems voters complain about.
Near the Rockfort area, fruit-stall owner Suriya complains about anti-encroachment drives: “People like us are suffering because anti-encroachment drives are undertaken without any alternative.”
Women’s safety, like many other constituencies, remains a key concern, and many residents, like Amul Selvarani, ask for a change .
“Employment opportunities remain limited due to slow government appointments and poor private salaries. Women’s safety is a big concern here, so we want change,” says Selvarani.
As anger rises, TVK volunteers are busy campaigning with flags on autos and bikes, mufflers tied on their necks. “We have been told by our chief that all of us should think of ourselves as Vijay and carry the leader’s face on a pamphlet where he cannot come,” says Vignesh, a TVK functionary in Trichy.
The party’s Trichy East district secretary, K. Sathish Kumar, says every house has two to three supporters for Vijay.
“We are reaching out to every doorstep as Vijay’s own people. We understand the concerns of the people. When our government comes, we will make governance strict to end drug abuse, safety concerns and employment crisis,” he says.
Voters in the constituency have mixed views.
Some are hoping for change with Vijay, while others are sceptical due to Vijay’s inexperience.
“Only if Vijay comes to power, will we know if they deliver. If not, we can change in five years,” says small trader Rajalingam.
Bharathi, a resident of Rockfort, asks: “We want to give a chance to a new person, but why an actor? Vijay hasn’t been going door-to-door. How do we know if he will deliver good governance?”
TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna said the DMK’s sudden outreach of ministers on morning walks and the sitting MLA rediscovering his constituency is evidence of fear.
The restrictions and limited presence
TVK leaders say their campaign has been constrained by administrative issues with permissions for roadshows and public gatherings denied.
Chennai’s Mambalam police registered a case against Vijay and T Nagar candidate N. Anand for allegedly conducting a roadshow without prior permission in T Nagar on Wednesday.
“Whenever we apply for approval, we are not getting it. We are concerned about people’s safety and accept the terms. People have understood our problem and support us,” said TVK general secretary C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar.
For the TVK, the minority arithmetic and anti-incumbency sentiment on civic issues are key strengths, besides Vijay’s fandom. But converting fans into a vote bank is the real challenge.
Political rivals have stepped up attacks.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin described Vijay as “Delhi’s B Team” while campaigning in Trichy East for Inigo Irudayaraj.
Inigo called Vijay’s dual nomination a “cowardly move”, while describing himself as the “real hero who works for the people, unlike Vijay, who is a reel hero”.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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