Vijay’s Sweeping Win Signals Major Shift in Tamil Nadu Politics

Chennai (IANS): In a stunning political upheaval, actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay secured a landslide victory in Tiruchy East by over 26,000 votes. This triumph marks a historic debut for his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has dramatically reshaped the state’s political landscape.

Election Highlights and Major Upsets

• Chief Minister Defeated: In one of the biggest shocks of the election, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin lost his Kolathur seat to TVK’s V.S. Babu by 9,192 votes.
• TVK’s Grassroots Strength: In Royapuram, TVK candidate Vijay Dhamu—an auto driver—defeated former minister D. Jayakumar.
• Key TVK Victories: Notable wins included Adhav Arjuna (Villivakkam), Thennarasu (Sriperumbudur), and Venkataramanan (Mylapore), who defeated BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan.
• NTK and AIADMK Losses: NTK chief Seeman suffered his third consecutive Assembly defeat in Karaikudi, while Assembly Speaker Appavu was unseated in Radhapuram by TVK’s Satish.

DMK Retentions

Despite the TVK surge, some key DMK figures managed to retain their seats:

• Udhayanidhi Stalin: Won in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni.
• V. Senthil Balaji: Retained Coimbatore South.
• Sekar Babu: Secured Chennai Harbour.

The “New Revolution”

TVK leaders have termed the verdict a “new revolution,” signalling a decisive shift away from long-standing Dravidian dominance. The single-phase election held on April 23 for all 234 constituencies has ushered in a new political phase under Vijay’s rising leadership.