R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, FEB 8
Having won over a hundred seats in rural body polls last year, Tamil actor ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay’s fans have once again using the name ‘Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam’ to contest the upcoming urban local body elections without any alliance with political parties or their support.
Earlier, Thalapathy Vijay had allowed his fans to use his picture during poll campaigning when they were contesting as independent candidates.
“This time also he has permitted us to contest in the name of Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, use his picture and use the same association flag. We are contesting as independent candidates again without any alliance with political parties or their support. All office-bearers of the TVMI, grassroot workers and fans are requested to spread the good works done by ‘Thalapathy’ and TVMI among the voters for its massive victory,” said Bussy Anand, general secretary of the outfit in a press statement issued on Monday.
In 2021, his fans entered the fray under the Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam in the rural body polls held last October. They won 115 out of the 169 seats from where they contested — a 68 percent strike rate.
According to political pundits, though the number is not big but in their debut election they managed to outdo ‘Ulaga Nayagan’ Kamal Hassan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Thamizhar Katchi as they both drew a blank.
The ruling DMK swept the rural body polls held in nine newly carved districts.
Polls to the urban local bodies across Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase on February 19. Counting of votes will be on February 22.
The upcoming urban body polls will again see a fight between the two Dravidian majors – the DMK and AIADMK. NDA allies PMK and BJP as well as Captain Vijay Kanth have also jumped in the poll fray making it a multi-cornered contest.
Thus the division of votes will give an added advantage to the ruling DMK.
