2 months ago
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When actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay announced connected Sunday (March 29, 2026) that helium would contention his archetypal Assembly predetermination from 2 municipality constituencies — Perambur successful Chennai and Tiruchi East — helium was pursuing an established precedent successful Tamil Nadu politics, of leaders who participate the fray simultaneously from 2 Assembly constituencies, though fewer debutants follow specified a strategy.
Mr. Vijay has not cited immoderate circumstantial crushed for his determination and remains inaccessible to the media. His fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is making its electoral debut successful the 2026 Assembly poll.
Jayalalithaa’s saga
In 1991, J. Jayalalitha (as her sanction was spelt then), an actor-turned-politician and governmental heir of erstwhile Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, initially filed her information from Kangeyam successful the then-Periyar district. This was her 2nd Assembly election, having earlier won from Bodinayakanur successful 1989 portion starring a faction of the AIADMK.
On April 18, 1991, she announced that she would besides contention from Bargur successful Dharmapuri district. Responding to questions, Jayalalitha clarified that the determination was not owed to fearfulness of defeat. “I volition triumph from immoderate constituency arsenic I americium definite of the people’s support. But immoderate crank has issued a connection that helium volition perpetrate termination aft filing information successful my constituency successful bid to countermand the election. The 2nd information is conscionable for safety’s sake,” she said, according to The Hindu archives. The AIADMK was past allied with the Congress.
A period later, erstwhile Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated during an predetermination rally successful Sriperumbudur. When elections were yet held, a monolithic sympathy question resulted successful a landslide triumph for Jayalalitha’s alliance. She won some seats and aboriginal vacated Kangeyam. However, successful 1996, she was defeated successful Bargur amid a beardown anti-corruption wave.
In 2001, Jayalalithaa amazed galore by filing nominations from 4 constituencies — Bargur, Bhuvanagiri, Andipatti, and Krishnagiri — contempt the Representation of the People Act allowing candidates to contention from lone 2 seats. She was besides facing disqualification owed to convictions successful corruption cases. Her determination to record from 4 constituencies was wide seen arsenic an effort to displacement nationalist absorption distant from her ineligible troubles.
Dual contest, dual loss
In the aforesaid election, Puthiya Tamilagam person K. Krishnasamy contested from 2 reserved constituencies —Ottapidaram, wherever helium was the sitting MLA, and Valparai. He justified his determination arsenic an effort to show that his enactment represented labourers and the downtrodden, peculiarly successful plantation regions similar Valparai. However, his party, which had been allotted 10 seats by the DMK, failed to triumph immoderate of them, and helium himself mislaid successful some constituencies.
A twelvemonth later, during byelections successful 3 constituencies, erstwhile DMK MLA Chengai Sivam filed nominations successful each 3 arsenic an autarkic candidate. Strangely, portion his papers were rejected successful Acharapakkam (Reserved), the Returning Officer astatine Saidapet accepted it. In Vaniyambadi, the Returning Officer initially announced that Mr. Sivam’s information was rejected, but aboriginal said it would beryllium re-scrutinised.
“The Chengai Sivam occurrence assumes value arsenic helium filed papers successful each 3 constituencies reportedly with the blessings of the DMK enactment with a presumption to disproving the AIADMK’s allegation that its leader, Jayalalithaa’s nominations were rejected successful 4 constituencies successful the wide elections past May, nether unit from the past ruling DMK,” said a study successful The Hindu.
Seat swap
Interestingly, successful 1980, M.G. Ramachandran and chap actor-politician S.S. Rajendran, some formerly of the DMK, filed nominations from the aforesaid 2 constituencies — Andipatti and Madurai West — connected AIADMK tickets. Eventually, MGR withdrew from Andipatti and the SSR from Madurai West, and some went connected to triumph their respective seats.
Earlier still, successful 1977, Congress person A.S. Ponnammal filed nominations from 2 reserved constituencies — Nilakottai and Palani — but yet withdrew from both.
