DMDK’s Vijaya Prabhakaran, son of founder Vijayakanth, will make his electoral debut in the Virudhunagar Assembly polls. He will face AIADMK’s VG Ganesan after DMDK switched alliances from AIADMK to the ruling DMK-led front for the elections.
The Virudhunagar Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu is all set for the upcoming Assembly elections, with Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) fielding Vijaya Prabhakaran against AIADMK’s VG Ganesan.
Vijaya Prabhakaran is the son of Captain Vijayakanth, the founder of DMDK. He marks his debut in state politics after suffering a loss in the 2024 Lok Sabha election against Congress’s Manickam Tagore by a mere 4,300 votes However, DMDK, which fought the Lok Sabha election with AIADMK in 2024, is on the ruling side of the alliance this time, shaking hands with DMK after seat-sharing talks failed with AIADMK ahead of the polls.
Wider Electoral Field
Vijaya Prabhakaran will face AIADMK’s VG Ganesan. NTK’s candidate Latchumanan is also in the electoral race. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the newly formed political party, will also try to gain power against the DMDK and AIADMK with party candidate SP Selvam.
About Virudhunagar Constituency
The constituency is known as the birthplace of K Kamraj, one of the tallest leaders in Tamil Nadu politics. It is home to many cracker manufacturing units, matchbox and handloom units, as well as offset printing presses.
Past Election Results
DMK has maintained a firm grip in Virudhunagar, with ARR Seenivasan winning the 2016 and 2021 Assembly election. However, with DMK assigning this seat to alliance partner DMDK and AIADMK fielding a VG Ganesan, the stage is all set for a fresh contest.
In 2021, Dravida Munetra Kazhagam claimed victory in Tamil Nadu with 133 seats. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) followed with 66 seats. Congress got 18 seats. ARR Seenivasan got 73,297 votes, comfortably securing the seat against the BJP’s G. Panduranga by a margin of 21,339 votes. In 2016, AIADMK won Tamil Nadu elections with 134 seats. DMK obtained 89 seats while Congress only won 1 seat. ARR Seenivasan still managed to win the seat with a close margin of 2,870 against AIADMK’s K Kalanithi.
Statewide Election Context
Now, Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which also includes Congress, DMDK, and the VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with TVK, attempting to turn the upcoming elections into a three-way contest.
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