Vijay follows footsteps of Tamil Nadu politicians with a penchant for twin contests

When actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay introduced on Sunday (March 29, 2026) that he would contest his first Meeting election from two city constituencies — Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchi East — he was following a longtime precedent in Tamil Nadu politics, of leaders who entered the fray concurrently from two Meeting constituencies, although few debutants undertake such a technique.

Mr. Vijay has not cited any particular cause for his determination and stays inaccessible to the media. His fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is making its electoral debut within the 2026 Meeting ballot.

Jayalalithaa’s saga

In 1991, J. Jayalalitha (as her identify was spelled then), an actor-turned-politician and political inheritor of former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, initially filed her nomination from Kangeyam within the then-Periyar district. This was her second Meeting election, having beforehand received from Bodinayakanur in 1989 whereas main a faction of the AIADMK.

On April 18, 1991, she introduced that she would additionally contest from Bargur in Dharmapuri district. Responding to questions, Jayalalitha clarified that the transfer was not as a result of worry of defeat. “I’ll win from any constituency as I’m positive of the folks’s help. However some crank has issued an announcement that he’ll commit suicide after submitting nomination in my constituency so as to countermand the election. The second nomination is only for security’s sake,” she stated, in keeping with The Hindu archives. The AIADMK was then allied with the Congress.

A month later, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated throughout an election rally in Sriperumbudur. When elections have been finally held, a large sympathy wave resulted in a landslide victory for Jayalalitha’s alliance. She received each seats and later vacated Kangeyam. Nevertheless, in 1996, she was defeated in Bargur amid a robust anti-corruption wave.

In 2001, Jayalalithaa shocked many by submitting nominations from 4 constituencies — Bargur, Bhuvanagiri, Andipatti, and Krishnagiri — regardless of the Illustration of the Folks Act permitting candidates to contest from solely two seats. She was additionally going through disqualification as a result of convictions in corruption instances. Her determination to file from 4 constituencies was extensively seen as an try to shift public focus away from her authorized troubles.

Twin contest, twin loss

In the identical election, Puthiya Tamilagam chief Okay. Krishnasamy contested from two reserved constituencies —Ottapidaram, the place he was the sitting MLA, and Valparai. He justified his determination as an effort to display that his celebration represented laborers and the downtrodden, notably in plantation areas like Valparai. Nevertheless, his celebration, which had been allotted 10 seats by the DMK, didn’t win any of them, and he himself misplaced in each constituencies.

A 12 months later, throughout byelections in three constituencies, former DMK MLA Chengai Sivam filed nominations in all three as an unbiased candidate. Unusually, whereas his papers have been rejected in Acharapakkam (Reserved), the Returning Officer at Saidapet accepted it. In Vaniyambadi, the Returning Officer initially introduced that Mr. Sivam’s nomination was rejected, however later stated it will be re-scrutinised.

“The Chengai Sivam episode assumes significance as he filed papers in all three constituencies reportedly with the blessings of the DMK management with a view to disproving the AIADMK’s allegation that its chief, Jayalalithaa’s nominations have been rejected in 4 constituencies within the common elections final Might, beneath stress from the then ruling DMK,” stated a report in The Hindu.

seat swap

Curiously, in 1980, MG Ramachandran and fellow actor-politician SS Rajendran, each previously of the DMK, filed nominations from the identical two constituencies — Andipatti and Madurai West — on AIADMK tickets. Finally, MGR withdrew from Andipatti and the SSR from Madurai West, and each went on to win their respective seats.

Earlier nonetheless, in 1977, Congress chief AS Ponnammal filed nominations from two reserved constituencies — Nilakottai and Palani — however finally withdrew from each.