Chennai, Sep 10 (IANS) Actor Vijay, who recently transitioned from cinema to politics by launching his party Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), has taken a strikingly different route from the film stars who entered politics before him.
When M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Vijayakanth made their political debuts, they chose Madurai for their first party conventions.
Naturally, many expected Vijay to follow the same tradition by beginning his journey in the temple city of Madurai. However, Vijay’s political strategy turned out to be unconventional.
His party decided to divide Tamil Nadu into four distinct zones – North, South, Kongu, and Delta – and plan its campaigns accordingly.
As part of this new blueprint, he surprised political observers by holding his very first state convention not in Madurai but in Vikravandi, Villupuram district, targeting the northern region of the state.
After consolidating support in the northern belt, Vijay shifted his focus to the Kongu region.
In April this year, he flew from Chennai to Coimbatore in a private jet to attend a booth committee agents’ meeting. To the astonishment of party workers and the public, Vijay launched an impromptu roadshow in Coimbatore.
The event quickly turned into a symbolic starting point of his campaign trail in the Kongu belt. With the North and Kongu regions covered, Vijay then turned his attention to the South.
True to expectations, he organised his second state convention in Madurai, tapping into the historic political symbolism of the city.
Having completed three major programmes across three zones, he is now preparing to shift focus to the Delta districts, which remain a politically significant region.
There is growing anticipation about Vijay’s next moves in the Delta, particularly in Tiruchirapally.
The question among the public is not only what Vijay will announce but also who will spearhead the campaign in this region.
Sources indicate that Vijay plans to embark on a hectic campaign schedule, covering three districts a day.
His proposed itinerary is expected to begin from Tiruchirapally and culminate in Madurai. Whether this zonal approach – ensuring visibility and outreach in all parts of Tamil Nadu – will prove successful remains to be seen, but it has already marked Vijay as a strategist who does not merely follow precedents.
–IANS
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