CM Vijay’s District Tours Ahead Of Bypolls In 5 Tamil Nadu Seats Put TVK’s Electoral Strategy In Focus
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's visits to Pudukkottai and Erode are attracting political attention, coming ahead of five pending Assembly by-elections that could strengthen his government's position in the House. Although the programmes are officially focused on development and welfare delivery, the choice of districts has raised questions about the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) electoral preparations.
On Monday, Vijay inaugurated a new bus terminus and development projects worth over Rs 60 crore in Pudukkottai. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to attend a government programme involving women's self-help groups in Perundurai, Erode. Both districts have constituencies awaiting by-elections following the resignation of their AIADMK legislators, who subsequently joined the TVK.
Official Programmes, Electoral Significance
Perundurai became vacant after AIADMK MLA S Jayakumar resigned and joined the TVK. In Viralimalai, former minister and AIADMK MLA C Vijayabaskar also quit his Assembly seat before switching parties. He is facing corruption allegations linked to the gutka scam during the previous AIADMK regime.
During his Pudukkottai visit, Vijay laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 11.72 crore, held a roadshow and received public petitions. His Perundurai programme includes inaugurations and welfare assistance distribution. Around 4,000 police personnel have been deployed for security, while TASMAC outlets along his route have been ordered shut.
Viralimalai And Ambasamudram: What The Numbers Show
Vijayabaskar has already started groundwork in Viralimalai, where several AIADMK functionaries have reportedly joined him. His electoral strength in the constituency is significant. He secured 51.87 per cent of votes in the previous Assembly election, compared with 21.43 per cent for the TVK and 19.81 per cent for the DMK.
In Ambasamudram, the contest could be more competitive. AIADMK candidate Isakki Subbaiah secured 34.3 per cent of votes, while the DMK and TVK received 28.95 per cent and 28.04 per cent, respectively. Congress and MDMK also have a presence in the constituency.
Why Five By-Elections Matter To Vijay
The TVK currently has 109 MLAs in the 234-member Assembly, following victories in the Dharapuram and Madurantakam by-elections. However, the party remains nine seats short of the 118 required for a simple majority.
The government depends on support from the Congress, which has five MLAs, and the VCK and IUML, which have two each. The CPI and CPM also extend support from outside the government.
Five constituencies, Viralimalai, Perundurai, Karur, Tiruchy East and Ambasamudram, are awaiting by-elections. Winning all five would take the TVK's strength to 114, improving its legislative position but leaving it short of a majority on its own.
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DMK Retains Support Despite TVK's Rural Gains
The recent by-election results offer an indication of the changing political equations. In Dharapuram, TVK's P Sathyabama defeated the DMK's S Suganya by 9,471 votes. In Madurantakam, K Maragatham Kumaravel won by 20,040 votes.
The TVK improved its vote share in both constituencies, but the DMK's support declined only marginally. This suggests that the party has retained a substantial part of its electoral base despite several former allies moving towards the TVK-led alliance.
Women Voters And The 2029 Lok Sabha Challenge
The Perundurai programme is also significant because of its focus on women's self-help groups. Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan has announced an allocation of Rs 1,110 crore for various schemes targeting these groups.
Meanwhile, Vijay's use of chartered aircraft for domestic visits has drawn criticism on social media over expenditure and optics. The government has pointed to the development and welfare initiatives accompanying these tours.
Beyond the immediate Assembly arithmetic, the five by-elections could provide an early indication of the political alignments taking shape ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The DMK and its allies swept Tamil Nadu in both 2019 and 2024. For Vijay, the upcoming contests will test whether the TVK can convert its recent electoral gains into a broader organisational and political advantage.
This content is published by ABP Live - Elections and has not been created or edited by Hello Headlines. View original
