Vijay enters Coimbatore with a bang, but can he capture Kongu belt votes?

Actor-politician Vijay’s arrival in Coimbatore after 12 years sparked major chaos at the airport on Saturday (April 26), with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) cadres swamping it in large numbers.

But it was not merely about passengers being inconvenienced. Vijay’s arrival in the city — often referred to as the heart of the Kongu belt — also sparked a political clash that was likely unintended.

Cheers for ‘Thalapathy’

The TVK chief was in the city to attend a two-day booth committee meeting of the party, and the resultant fuss was reminiscent of superstar Rajinikanth being mobbed by fans at the same airport on one occasion.

Thousands of TVK supporters gathered to welcome their leader as Vijay landed in Coimbatore at 11.07 am on Saturday. And his 6-km journey from the airport to the hotel on Avinashi Road turned into an unplanned festive procession.

As the mammoth crowd waved the party’s red, yellow, and white flags, beat drums, and chanted “Thalapathy”, Vijay’s vehicle could inch forward.

Also read: Why did a Maulana in UP issue a fatwa against Vijay?

Symbolic clash with DMK?

However, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is also set to visit Coimbatore on Sunday (April 27). Hence, the route was lined with DMK flagpoles as well. And the sheer volume of TVK supporters caused several of these flagpoles to topple, with vehicles driving over them in the chaos.

The incident, though accidental, was seen by many as a symbolic moment in the simmering political rivalry between the TVK and the ruling DMK.

The Kongu belt, comprising districts such as Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, and Salem, has long been a stronghold of the AIADMK. But the DMK has made significant inroads here in recent years, particularly after its strong showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

TVK politics

However, as Vijay, dressed in a simple white shirt, took the stage to thunderous applause, TVK’s growing influence in the Kongu region seemed evident.

Vijay, addressing the gathering, emphasized the importance of connecting with the people. “This is not a workshop on how to win votes from the people; this is a workshop on how to live among the people, as one of them,” he said.

Vijay handed over pen drives containing detailed voter data from past elections to the booth committee members and provided a printed guide outlining the Election Commission’s rules and regulations, offering a comprehensive framework on how to effectively work at the booth level.

This guide emphasized the importance of adhering to electoral protocols, managing voter interaction, and ensuring transparency during the polling process.

Also read: Vijay joins list of petitioners to challenge Waqf Act validity in SC

Setting the tone for TVK’s approach to politics, Vijay urged party workers to engage with the public at the grassroots level, listen to their concerns, and work towards addressing them.

“For too long, politics in Tamil Nadu has been about empty promises and divisive tactics. TVK will be different—we will be a party of the people, for the people,” Vijay added, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

Why Coimbatore?

Vijay’s decision to hold the booth committee meeting in Coimbatore sends a clear message: TVK intends to challenge the Dravidian giants in their own backyard.

The Kongu region, with 50 Assembly seats out of Tamil Nadu’s 234, is a crucial battleground for any party aiming to form the next government. Historically, the AIADMK has dominated the region, thanks to its strong support base among the Gounder community and its focus on rural development.

However, the DMK has been steadily gaining ground, leveraging development projects and alliances with caste-based outfits like the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) to weaken the AIADMK’s hold.

A strategic move?

A senior journalist observed that Vijay’s focus on the Kongu region appears to be a strategic move to capture the AIADMK’s vote bank, which has been weakened by a lack of charismatic leadership following Jayalalithaa’s demise.

The journalist noted that in the current political landscape of the Kongu region, the AIADMK is unlikely to secure a win in the upcoming election without the BJP’s support, making Vijay’s potential to siphon votes a significant concern for the AIADMK.

According to senior journalist CS Kotteswaran, TVK’s rise in the Kongu belt is evident. “The crowd of youths standing for Vijay looks organic, and such an energetic crowd has not been seen for either DMK or AIADMK in recent days,” he said.

Also read: Direct Stalin vs Vijay contest in 2026 poll? CVoter survey fuels debate

Complex caste dynamics

Despite the enthusiasm, the TVK faces significant challenges. The DMK and AIADMK have decades of political experience and deep-rooted organizational networks, something TVK is still working to build.

The Kongu region’s complex caste dynamics, with the Gounder community traditionally supporting the AIADMK and Dalit communities like the Arunthathiyars leaning towards the DMK, pose a hurdle for TVK.

Additionally, the BJP’s growing influence in the region through religious polarization adds another layer of complexity to the political landscape.

DMK plays down hype

A DMK leader from western Tamil Nadu downplayed Vijay’s visit, stating that the TVK leader’s presence in Coimbatore was merely for a party event, not a genuine people’s cause, and pointed out that only Vijay’s fans surrounded him, attempting to take selfies, with no significant public support visible on the streets.

“There’s no need (for the DMK) to be panicked by Vijay’s visit—it’s like he is attending his film shoots,” the leader said, suggesting it lacked political depth.

While Vijay has made a striking entry into the Kongu belt, his ability to transform his fanbase into a solid vote bank will ultimately determine his political success.