Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026: TVK names son of Vijay’s former driver as party's candidate
Actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay announced his candidacy for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from two seats. He emphasized the generational battle between his party TVK and the ruling DMK, urging Gen Z voters to support his campaign, which features 26 women candidates.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Sunday announced the names of all its 234 candidates for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, to be held on April 23.
An interesting pick is the candidate for the Virugambakkam assembly seat in Chennai, where a political newbie has been fielded. Vijay has named Sabarinathan, the son of his longtime driver-turned-personal assistant Rajendran, as the party’s candidate for Virugambakkam.
Both father and son became emotional as Sabarinathan’s name was announced as the candidate. In a video that has gone viral, Sabarinathan can be seen touching Vijay’s feet and hugging him, while Vijay wipes away his tears.
Vijay to contest from two seats
On Sunday, Vijay also announced that he will make his electoral debut from two seats, including Perambur in Chennai, considered a DMK stronghold and from Tiruchirappalli (East) in central Tamil Nadu. The DMK has fielded R D Sekar from Perambur and retained Inigo Iruthayaraj in Tirchirappalli East.
"It will be C Joseph Vijay from these two seats," the actor-turned-politician announced.
Election is between TVK and DMK
According to Vijay, the election is between his "people's alliance TVK" and the "Stalin-led alliance", he described the ruling DMK-led bloc as a "patch-up".
"This is a generational electoral battle," he said, claiming the contest was primarily between the DMK and TVK.
"I have selected candidates who will stand with the people," he said.
Vijay also appealed to Gen Z voters to turn out in large numbers for the party's 'whistle' symbol and encourage their families to back TVK candidates.
"This is a generational electoral battle," he said, claiming the contest was primarily between the DMK and TVK.
Outlining the qualities of an MLA, Vijay said they must possess impeccable integrity and should not "loot" the people.
In its electoral debut, TVK is fielding 26 women candidates.
Vijay, one of the most prominent names in the Tamil film industry, retired from acting and announced his political entry in February 2024.
Tamil Nadu has a long history of successful actor-turned-politicians, including former chief ministers MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026
The Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 are scheduled for 23 April 2026 to elect 234 members to the State Legislative Assembly. The election will be conducted in a single phase, with the results to be declared on 4 May 2026.
The DMK, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, is hoping to retain power in Tamil Nadu against a fractured AIADMK-led NDA and debutants TVK.
- The Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 is set for April 23, with TVK making its debut.
- Vijay's selection of Sabarinathan reflects a personal and emotional connection to grassroots politics.
- Vijay appeals to Gen Z voters, emphasizing their crucial role in shaping the electoral outcome.
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Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.
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