Chennai: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is understood to be exploring a high-profile electoral strategy in Chennai’s Perambur constituency, amid growing speculation that actor-turned-politician Vijay may choose the seat for his electoral debut.

Perambur, a constituency with a consistent electoral leaning towards the DMK, witnessed a decisive victory in the 2021 Assembly elections. The party’s candidate R. D. Sekar secured over 1.05 lakh votes, defeating the AIADMK alliance nominee N. R. Dhanapalan by a margin of nearly 54,000 votes. The scale of that victory has reinforced Perambur’s reputation as a DMK stronghold.

Sources indicate that R. D. Sekar remains the frontrunner for renomination. However, the equation could shift significantly if Vijay formally announces his candidature. In that scenario, the DMK leadership is believed to be considering the deployment of a “star candidate” to counterbalance Vijay’s mass appeal, particularly among younger voters and women.

Among the names doing the rounds is Divya Sathyaraj, daughter of veteran actor Sathyaraj. While there has been no official confirmation, the speculation underscores the seriousness with which the DMK is approaching a potential contest against Vijay.

Electoral patterns in Perambur suggest a complex social composition, with a significant presence of industrial workers, women voters, and a sizeable youth demographic. Political observers note that voters under the age of 35 are likely to play a decisive role in any closely fought contest.

Vijay’s political outfit, widely referred to as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is believed to be banking on his cinematic popularity translating into electoral gains. Party insiders are confident that his appeal among first-time voters and women could offset the DMK’s organisational advantage in the constituency.

At the same time, the presence of a residual support base for the AIADMK could result in a triangular contest, potentially fragmenting the vote share. Such a scenario, analysts suggest, may work to Vijay’s advantage if opposition votes split.

Despite the speculation, senior DMK functionaries maintain that no final decision has been taken on fielding an alternative candidate. However, party circles indicate that if Vijay enters the race, the leadership will “certainly” respond with a candidate of considerable political or public stature.

For now, the talk of a star candidate remains unverified, circulating largely on social media. Yet, the possibility of a high-voltage contest in Perambur has already begun to draw attention, with all sides closely watching Vijay’s next political move.