Chennai, March 29 TVK chief Vijay announced his party's candidates for all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu for the April 23 elections, also announcing his own electoral debut from two seats, including Perambur in Chennai, a city considered the ruling DMK's stronghold.
In his maiden electoral battle, Vijay would also contest from Tiruchirappalli East in the central district of Tamil Nadu. The DMK has fielded RD Sekar from Perambur and retained Inigo Iruthayaraj in Tirchirappalli East.
"These two seats will be contested by C Joseph Vijay," the actor-politician emphatically announced amidst loud cheers at a party functionaries' meeting held at a popular 5-star hotel in the city.
On the occasion, he also announced and introduced his party nominees for the remaining 232 seats, and the candidates included those from his core team.
Senior party leaders and Vijay's inner team members – N Anand, Adhav Arjuna, P Venkatramanan, R Arunraaj, CTR Nirmal Kumar, and KA Sengkottaiyan – were named as TVK candidates for seats including T Nagar, Villivakkam, Gobichettipalayam, and Thirupparankundram.
Former AIADMK minister Ku Pa Krishnan, who had joined TVK earlier this year, has been fielded from Lalgudi.
Among the candidates are some former DMK and AIADMK leaders who had joined TVK over time.
Reiterating that the electoral fight is between his "people's alliance TVK and Stalin sir alliance," he criticized the ruling DMK-led bloc as a mere "patch-up."
"I have selected candidates who will stand with the people," he said about his party nominees.
They are not just candidates, but "people's protectors," Vijay said, and sought wholehearted support for them. He particularly urged the "Gen Z" to vote en masse for his party symbol, the whistle, and also to encourage those at home to support TVK candidates in the elections.
"This is a poll battle of a generation," which is confined between the DMK and TVK, and none else is in the race, he claimed.
Seeking to define the characteristics of an MLA, he said they should be one with impeccable personal integrity and not "exploit" people.
Elections to 234 Assembly segments in the state will be held on April 23.
Unveiling an agenda for youth, what he described as "guarantees," Vijay promised, among others, steps for a drug-free Tamil Nadu, collateral-free loan guarantees up to Rs 20 lakh from Class 12 to PhD.
He also introduced the party's Puducherry candidates for the April 9 polls in the Union Territory. He had already released the list of candidates.