TN Polls: MDMK's Durai Vaiko confident of DMK win, doubts Vijay's run

MDMK leader Durai Vaiko expresses confidence in the DMK-led alliance winning over 200 seats in the Tamil Nadu polls, despite being disappointed with seat-sharing. He also voiced doubts about actor Vijay's electoral success.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Durai Vaiko on Friday expressed confidence in the victory of the secular progressive alliance (SPA) led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He also expressed doubts over TVK chief Vijay's chances in the forthcoming polls, saying that popularity in cinema does not necessarily translate into votes. "The secular progressive alliance headed by DMK is one we are very confident about. We are predicting a landslide victory for us, thanks to the welfare measures undertaken by the current government, led by the CM MK Stalin. The government has signed 1,127 MoUs with various industries across the country. Investments worth nearly Rs 12.37 lakh crore are expected, which would create around 36 lakh jobs. We could win more than 200 seats," Durai Vaiko told ANI.

Seat-sharing disappointment

The MDMK leader expressed disappointment with seat-sharing within the alliance. "Last time, we contested 6 seats, but this time we were allotted 4, which was disappointing. The communists also contested 6 last time, and now they have 5. The Congress, however, received 3 additional seats. There are also new entrants, like DMDK, which have been allocated around ten seats, along with Rajya Sabha seats. We expected more. DMK expected us to accommodate and adjust. So, with a heavy heart, our party agreed to contest 4 seats," he remarked.

Main contest between DMK, AIADMK alliances

He later asserted that the battle would be basically between alliances headed by DMK and AIADMK. Speaking on actor-turned-politician TVK chief Vijay's participation in the elections, he added, "Brother Vijay is a popular actor in Tamil Nadu and has been in the movie industry for more than 20 years. He is popular among youth, but it is the same as actor Surya or others. Would this crowd get converted into votes? Not all popular actors who entered politics were successful, apart from a few exceptions. I doubt if Vijay wins. The battle is basically between alliances headed by DMK and AIADMK. There is some anti-incumbency, but it will help us when it is divided between AIADMK and Vijay."

Doubts over Vijay's strategy

Durai Vaiko also questioned the strategy of contesting from multiple constituencies, adding, "If he is confident in one constituency, why is he contesting in 2 of them? This applies to everyone who is contesting in 2 constituencies."

Election schedule and key contestants

However, Vijay is contesting the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from Perambur and Trichy East, taking on DMK incumbents RD Sekar and Inigo S Irudayaraj, while TVK has fielded VS Babu in MK Stalin's Kolathur constituency. Vijay has positioned his campaign around youth-centric and welfare-driven initiatives. Unveiling the party's manifesto, he promised the creation of "anti-drug protection zones" in schools and colleges and announced monthly financial assistance of Rs 4,000 for graduates and Rs 2,000 for diploma holders.

Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, covering a total of 234 constituencies in the State. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the assembly ends on May 10.

The main contest is expected to be between the DMK-led SPA and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)