Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Sunday announced its complete list of 234 candidates for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
Vijay himself is contesting from two seats, Perambur and Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) East.
Addressing TVK cadres at the party HQ here, he described the polls as a democratic battle, and emphasised that the party’s candidates have been drawn from ordinary backgrounds.
They are people committed to social justice, women’s safety and a drug-free state, he said.
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 between the ruling DMK-led alliance, the AIADMK-BJP combine and the TVK.
Urging youngsters to vote for TVK, Vijay said, “Gen-Z, you have one duty on 23 April, take your voter ID, go to the election booth in the morning and vote for the whistle. Take everyone from your family and go vote. Don’t think it’s a weekday, don’t hesitate, get your tickets booked and travel to vote in your constituency…I’ve come here after overcoming a lot of challenges only for you. I will never lie or cheat you.”
2026 சட்டமன்றத் தேர்தல், தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகத்தின் வெற்றி வேட்பாளர்கள் அறிமுக நிகழ்ச்சி நேரலை…https://t.co/6QzBRse09Q
— TVK Party HQ (@TVKPartyHQ) March 29, 2026
Vijay has offered a comprehensive package of guarantees to Tamil Nadu’s youth. Among them is a proposed scheme to offer up to Rs 20 lakh in collateral-free and interest-free education loans, besides passage of the proposed Tamil Nadu Recruitment Accountability and Transparency Bill to ensure fair, transparent and time-bound government jobs through TNPSC, TRB and TNEB, with all appointments completed within one year.
Further, under the proposed Vetri Entrepreneurship Scheme, TVK has pledged collateral-free loans of up to Rs 25 lakh to turn youngsters from job-seekers into job-creators.
Vijay’s own choice of seats appears to be largely based on fan loyalty, and signals a statewide ambition with an eye on urban strongholds and regional bastions traditionally held by Dravidian majors.
Perambur, for instance, is currently held by R.D. Sekar of the DMK, who is in the fray to retain the seat he first won in a bypoll in 2019. From the NDA, the seat has been allotted to the Anbumani Ramadoss-led Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
Trichy East, the other seat where Vijay will be in the contest, is currently held by DMK’s Inigo S. Irudayaraj. The AIADMK has fielded K. Rajasekaran from this seat.
On Vijay’s strategy, Chennai-based political analyst Sunil Kumar told ThePrint, “He is contesting from two constituencies to be able to secure one seat at least. The selection of constituencies have been made considering the fan base among youth.”
“In Perambur, the Anglo-Indian Christian community would be a favourable voter-base for Vijay. In Trichy East, it’s a semi-urban population of over two lakhs, with a large Christian voter-base, particularly from the Vellalar community,” Kumar added.
Key functionaries the TVK has fielded in Chennai include its general secretary N. Anand (popularly known as Bussy N. Anand) from T Nagar, campaign management general secretary Aadhav Arjuna from Villivakkam, and treasurer Venkat Ramanan from Mylapore.
Besides them, joint general secretary C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar will contest from Thiruparankundram in Madurai, general secretary K.G. Arun Raj from Tiruchengodu in Namakkal, and former AIADMK leader K.A. Sengottaiyan from Gobichettipalayam in Erode.
By fielding senior functionaries like N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, and Venkat Ramanan in key urban and semi-urban seats such as T Nagar, Villivakkam, Mylapore, the TVK is prioritising Chennai’s affluent commercial hubs and suburban belts. Securing early wins or a strong showing here could create a domino effect, boosting cadre morale across the state.
Further, fielding Sengottaiyan from Gobichettipalayam and K.G. Arun Raj from Tiruchengode signals an attempt to draw votes from AIADMK’s traditional strongholds in the Kongu and western belts, while C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar’s candidature from Madurai is an attempt to make inroads into southern Tamil Nadu, specifically rural and semi-urban pockets where pure celebrity appeal may need reinforcement from local leaders.
With nominations set to begin shortly, the party is expected to begin campaigning soon.
However, Vijay has accused the ruling DMK-led alliance of creating obstacles for his party.
He has even filed a complaint against the state government with the Tamil Nadu State Chief Election Commissioner, accusing the Chennai Police of supporting the DMK and denying him permission to hold a public meeting in Perambur. The party has alleged that police officials declared the designated venue unsuitable for accommodating 3,000 people.
Responding to the allegations, Rural Development Minister I. Periyasamy said Vijay should apply online on the Election Commission’s portal and the permission for poll rallies is in the hands of the ECI during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period. “The Election Commission will give permission. The government doesn’t give permission. If they apply online, they will get permission,” Periyasamy told reporters here Saturday.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)