CHENNAI: TVK president C Joseph Vijay's electoral debut was orchestrated through a tightly controlled campaign managed by a close-knit core team, a targeted political strategy aimed at the governing DMK, and a rapid expansion of support among minorities, Dalits, and a section of women voters.
Core Team Dynamics
Key members of Vijay's inner circle, including N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, K A Sengottaiyan, Arun Raj, C T R Nirmal Kumar, and strategist John Arockiasamy, handled legal, organisational, digital, and political operations throughout the campaign. This core team played a central role in steering TVK through multiple challenges, including the Karur stampede, and recurring issues over campaign permissions and candidate selection.
Anand, who has been associated with Vijay since the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam days, managed internal coordination and maintained party structure intact after differences emerged over seat allocation. Arjuna handled technical and resource support, while he and CTR Nirmal Kumar led TVK's digital campaign and coordinated legal efforts, including engaging advocates for the stampede case in the Supreme Court. Sengottaiyan's entry into the party in November revived organisational activity at a time when TVK's campaign had slowed after the stampede.
Strategic Direction
Strategist John Arockiasamy was the fulcrum of this inner circle. Sources indicated that he played a major role in opposing, during internal discussions, an alliance with the NDA after the 'Jana Nayagan' controversy. Vijay also maintained a consistent political line. He described the DMK as his "political enemy," framing the election as a direct contest between M K Stalin and himself. He largely avoided targeting deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, or leaders of alliance parties. This approach helped TVK consolidate sections of anti-incumbency votes without fragmenting the anti-DMK electorate.
Expanding Support Base
The campaign also saw TVK expand beyond Vijay's traditional fan base. The party attracted sections of minorities, fishermen, and Dalit voters who had largely backed the DMK and its allies in earlier elections. Minority votes appeared split in several constituencies. Vijay, himself a Christian, visited churches, temples, and mosques during the campaign and projected himself as a leader for all communities. This secular messaging helped TVK distance itself from identity-based polarisation, which has historically had limited acceptance in Tamil Nadu politics. TVK also made gains among women voters, a section that had largely shifted towards the DMK after J Jayalalithaa's death.
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