Vijay leading In Perambur and Trichy East, show early Tamil Nadu trends

Actor‑politician Vijay led early trends in both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East on counting day, giving an early boost to his debut from two DMK‑held seats.

Vijay is contesting the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election from Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East in central Tamil Nadu, positioning both as flagship battles for his TVK party. Initial trends showed him ahead in both constituencies.

Perambur, Assembly constituency no. 12, lies in North Chennai under the Chennai North Lok Sabha seat. With around 2.22 lakh voters, it is one of the capital's most visible urban seats and a traditional arena of Dravidian politics.

In recent cycles, Perambur has leaned toward the DMK. In the 2021 Assembly election, DMK's R.D. Sekar won with 52.53% vote share, defeating PTMK's N.R. Dhanabalan, who polled about 25.10%. Earlier, the seat saw shifts, including an AIADMK victory in 1991, reflecting changing political currents in Chennai.
Television coverage has cast Perambur as a battleground because Vijay picked it as his electoral launchpad, directly taking on the DMK in a North Chennai stronghold. 

The constituency's dense working- and lower-middle-class profile, combining industrial pockets and old residential areas, gives it symbolic value for a party pitching itself as a people‑centric alternative.

Vijay is also contesting Tiruchirappalli East, another seat currently held by the DMK. His early lead here has drawn attention because it extends his challenge beyond Chennai into central Tamil Nadu.

By opting to fight from two non‑safe, DMK‑dominated constituencies, Vijay signalled an aggressive strategy aimed at testing his personal appeal against the ruling party rather than securing an easy entry into the Assembly.

TVK is contesting all 234 seats on its own, with Perambur and Trichy East projected as proof‑of‑concept contests for Vijay's political entry across regions. (NDTV)