Perambur Election Results: Vijay leads with over 44K votes; DMK, others trail

Tamil Nadu election results 2026 | Just like his commercial potboilers, Thalapathy Vijay is currently leading in the Perambur constituency. DMK's RD Shekar and PMK's M Thilagabama are trailing at present. 

After 18 rounds of counting were complete, the actor-turned-politician widened his lead to more than 44,000 votes with 1.02 lakh votes. DMK's RD Shekar has managed to secure 55,986 votes so far. 

It, however, was not a cakewalk for Vijay to make it big in Perambur, which has a long-standing working-class voter base. The constituency saw a record voter turnout at nearly 90% on April 23, according to the Election Commission. 

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Vijay's first-ever election

The Perambur contest is Vijay's first-ever electoral contest, making it a symbolic battleground of sorts for the superstar of the Tamil celluloid. Since Perambur comprises a large working-class population, it is not the one to be swayed so easily by star power. 

It is seen as a test of whether Vijay can disrupt Dravidian politics entrenched in the collective psyche of Perambur by fighting an established party without existing election machinery or legacy of any kind. 

Winning Perambur wouldn't be as easy as savouring thayir sadham (curd rice) for Vijay, as he needs a double-digit vote share shift to win from this seat. Vijay's entry into the contest may split votes, especially anti-DMK votes. 

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Why Vijay faces a huge challenge in Perambur?

Vijay has a strong appeal among young and first-time voters. Even if TVK gains traction among other groups, converting that into a winning margin would be a huge challenge. 

A recent opinion poll by Thanthi TV suggested that it will be a close contest this time. Out of the total 234 constituencies, 84 will favour the DMK, whereas 72 will be bagged by the AIADMK. One constituency favours Vijay's TVK, whereas it is likely to be a tight contest in 77 seats, the opinion poll said. 

The opinion poll further revealed that while DMK continues to remain the frontrunner, TVK is emerging as a serious challenger and is competitive enough to alter margins. 

It further stated that even if the TVK doesn't win Perambur, it could dent DMK's margins and establish itself as a future political force. 

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What do the exit polls say on Tamil Nadu? 

Most exit polls have predicted a comfortable majority for the MK Stalin-led DMK, with India Today-Axis My India and Times Now-JVC being the only exceptions.

India Today-Axis My India has projected a blockbuster debut for Vijay, with the TVK securing 98-120 seats. It projected that the DMK is likely to get anywhere between 92-110 seats. 

Pollsters	DMK	AIADMK	TVK	Others
India Today-Axis My India	92-110	22-32	98-120	--
Vote Vibe	103-113	114-124	4-10	--
Chanakya Strategies	145-160	50-65	--	18-26
Matrize	122-132	87-110	10-12	2-6
Times Now-JVC Exit Poll	75-95	128-147	8-10	--
Peoples Pulse	125-145	65-80	18-24	2-6
Poll of Exit Polls	130	65	31	8
P-MARQ	125-145	65-85	16-26	1-6
Peoples Insight	120-140	60-70	30-40	--

CATCH FULL COVERAGE OF TAMIL NADU EXIT POLL 2026 HERE