TVK Announces Candidates For Tamil Nadu Polls, Vijay To Contest 2 Seats

Actor-politician Vijay will contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu from the Perambur and Trichy East constituencies. Announcing the names of candidates from his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which is making a debut in this election, Vijay urged the people to give TVK one chance. "Vote for whistle, it's a whistle revolution election," he said, playing up his party's poll symbol. He also said voters must not differentiate between him and other TVK candidates and stressed that they are all the same. 

The 234 constituencies in the Tamil Nadu Assembly will vote in a single phase on April 23. The incumbent DMK faces a five-cornered fight: the NDA bloc of AIADMK and BJP is looking to make a comeback and Vijay's TVK is gearing up for a big debut. The alliance of the S Ramadoss-led PMK and the party founded by former Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa's aide Sasikala has opened a fourth front. And Seeman-led Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is contesting alone. 

The two seats Vijay is contesting from -- Perambur and Trichy East -- are currently represented by the DMK. RD Sekar is MLA from Perampur and Inigo S Irudayaraj from Trichy East.

Vijay said this is not just an announcement of candidates' names. "This is a meeting to announce the names of the protectors of the people. Our candidates are from ordinary backgrounds; they are not heavyweights. Our MLAs should not have experience of looting and illegal mining, or of assaulting journalists who question them. A DMK candidate has corruption charges against him. He went to jail and came back. You all think who he is," he said.

Vijay said he has taken efforts to select TVK candidates. "This election is a two-cornered fight between our people's alliance and MK Stalin Sir's alliance," he said.

The actor-politician promised a drug-free Tamil Nadu, monthly assistance for those who don't get jobs after 29, and a law for accountability and transparency in government job recruitment.

TVK's VS Babu will take on DMK leader and Chief Minister MK Stalin in Kolathur. Vijay has chosen Selvam, a former Congress leader who joined TVK, to contest against Udhayanidhi Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister and MK Stalin's son, in Chepauk. TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna is TVK's candidate from Villivakkam and the party has fielded Sengottaiyan from Gobichettipalayam.