Vijay charts new course with zonal political strategy in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Vijay has broken away from convention in Tamil Nadu politics by adopting a zonal strategy for his party, Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), instead of following the traditional Madurai-centric approach taken by his predecessors.

When M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Vijayakanth entered politics, both launched their parties in Madurai. Many expected Vijay to do the same. Instead, his party divided the state into four zones, North, South, Kongu and Delta, and began tailoring its outreach accordingly.

Defying expectations, Vijay chose Vikravandi in Villupuram district for TVK’s first state convention, targeting the northern belt. He then shifted focus to the Kongu region, flying to Coimbatore in April for a booth agents’ meeting. The visit culminated in a surprise roadshow that turned into the symbolic launch of his campaign in the region.

Vijay returned to tradition only later, holding his second convention in Madurai to tap into the city’s political symbolism, before preparing to expand into the Delta districts, considered another crucial political battleground.

Sources suggest that Vijay is planning an intensive campaign in the Delta, with Tiruchirapally as the starting point, covering up to three districts a day and concluding in Madurai.

With this zonal approach, Vijay has ensured visibility across all regions of Tamil Nadu. Whether it translates into electoral gains remains uncertain, but it has already marked him out as a political strategist unwilling to simply follow precedent.