Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which is entering the Assembly election for the first time, released its candidate list on Saturday. The list features several leaders who have joined TVK from other parties, with the party leadership signalling a broad outreach in seat allocation.
Among those named are former AIADMK figures including Sengottaiyan (Gobichettipalayam), Sathyabama (Erode North), Nirmal Kumar (Tirupparankundram), K.P. Krishnan (Lalgudi), Thoosi Mohan (Cheyyar), V.S. Babu (Kolathur), JCD Prabhakar (Aayiram Vilakku), Sridhar (Valparai - SC), Reddiyarpatti Narayanan (Nanguneri), Tirupati (Tirupattur), Kavitha Rajendran (Jayankondam), Subramanian (Gandharvakottai), Karuppaiya (Sholavandan) and Lokesh, son of former Speaker Dhanapal (Rasipuram).
TVK has also allotted seats to leaders who switched from other parties: Navalpattu Viji (Tiruvverumbur) from the DMK, Aadhav Arjuna (Villivakkam) from the VCK, and Jegathees Pandiyan (Sankarapuram) from Naam Tamilar Katchi. K.M. Sharif (Pudukkottai) from the Tamil Makkal Jananayaga Katchi, Haroon Rasheed (Mayiladuthurai) from the Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, Mustafa (Madurai Central) from the Tamil Nadu Muslim League, and Kingsley Gerald (Vedaranyam) from the AMMK were also named.
The list includes high-profile contests: D. Selvam is set to face Udhayanidhi in Chepauk, while V.S. Babu will take on Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Kolathur. Thoosi Mohan, who joined TVK two days ago, has been fielded in Cheyyar, and businessman R.S. Mohan—described as a DMK supporter who did not get a DMK ticket—has been named for Tirunelveli.
A few selections drew attention within the party. TVK announced Sabarinathan, son of Vijay’s aide Rajendran, as its candidate from Virugambakkam. In Thoothukudi, Ajitha—who had reportedly been working on the ground—was not given a ticket, with the seat going to Vijay’s friend and actor Sridhar, leading to reports of discontent among local TVK members.
