Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor‑turned‑politician Vijay cast his vote on Thursday at the Neelankarai polling booth in Chennai for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, amid tight security and a large crowd of supporters.
Election Context and Vijay’s Candidacy
Vijay is contesting from two high‑profile constituencies: Perambur (North Chennai) and Tiruchirappalli East, both currently held by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) incumbents with large margins from 2021. In Perambur he faces DMK heavyweight R. D. Shekar, while in Tiruchirappalli East he takes on sitting MLA Inigo Irudayaraj S, turning both seats into high‑stakes contests against established DMK strongholds.
Symbolism of the Neelankarai Vote
Casting his vote in Neelankarai, an affluent coastal locality in South Chennai, Vijay appeared in a simple white shirt and trousers, projecting a low‑key but serious image on his first official election‑day outing as a candidate. The scene—a star‑politician arriving at a polling station with heavy security and a throng of fans—underscored the intense public attention his debut campaign has drawn and how TVK is positioning itself as a new player in Tamil Nadu’s traditionally DMK–AIADMK‑centric politics.
