Actor-politician Vijay was leading in early trends from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East on the counting day, giving an early boost to his debut from 2 DMK-held seats.
Vijay contested 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, with initial trends showing him ahead in both constituencies.
While the AIADMK-led alliance is ahead overall and the DMK remains a key contender, TVK’s early leads indicate it could emerge as a significant player, potentially influencing the final outcome as counting progresses.
How is Vijay's TVK performing in Tamil Nadu elections 2026?
According to early vote-counting trends, Vijay's TVK has emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu elections as it gained an early lead on 81 seats against the AIADMK, which is currently leading on 65 seats. The ruling DMK seems to be trailing as per early trends, as it maintained a lead of only 40 seats.
Vijay is also contesting from Tiruchirappalli East, a seat currently held by the DMK. His early lead here has drawn attention as it extends his challenge beyond Chennai into central Tamil Nadu.
By choosing to contest from two DMK-dominated constituencies that are not considered safe, Vijay signalled an aggressive strategy aimed at testing his personal appeal against the ruling party rather than opting for an easier entry into the Assembly.
TVK is contesting all 234 seats on its own, with Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East emerging as key proof of concept contests for Vijay’s political entry across regions.
