Actor-turned-politician Vijay has sharpened his election pitch with a targeted outreach to Tamil Nadu's influential fisherfolk community, positioning them at the centre of his party's welfare promises and campaign strategy.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, or TVK, Chief's manifesto makes a notable - and politically significant promise: a first-of-its-kind Minimum Support Price (MSP) for fish. The proposal, aimed at insulating fishermen from volatile market prices, covers key varieties such as prawn, sardine, anchovy and mackerel, with compensation to be directly credited to bank accounts when prices dip.
The outreach is not just economic but also electoral. Fisherfolk, estimated at over 10.48 lakh marine fishermen across 14 coastal districts form a decisive voting bloc in several constituencies. A significant portion of them, particularly in districts like Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi, belong to Christian communities, including the influential Fernando community.
Though Vijay has so far campaigned in only six of Tamil Nadu's 38 districts, a majority of these are coastal belts including Ramanathapuram, underlining a focused strategy to consolidate minority and fisherfolk votes. His party has also fielded candidates from the community in key constituencies, signalling intent to convert outreach into representation.
TVK's manifesto goes beyond MSP, promising accident insurance, a fishermen protection rights fund and large-scale coastal infrastructure, including sea erosion barriers stretching up to 200 km in vulnerable districts.
Vijay's engagement with the community is not new.
In 2011, he mobilised thousands in protest after the killing of a Tamil fisherman allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy - an episode that still resonates along the coast.
However, the space is contested.
The BJP, in alliance with the AIADMK, is also actively wooing fisherfolk, particularly in Kanyakumari - a known stronghold. The BJP is contesting four of the six seats here, with the AIADMK taking the remaining two.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held a high-profile roadshow in Nagercoil to introduce NDA candidates, signalling the stakes involved.
While fisherfolk may not dominate numerically in most constituencies, their consolidated voting patterns often influence outcomes. With campaigning gaining momentum, Vijay's coastal push anchored around livelihood security and community identity could prove pivotal in a tightly contested electoral landscape.
(With inputs from Manha N)
