Chennai: The DMDK leader Vijayakanth has shifted his constituency yet again, to neighbouring Ulundurpet in the same Villupuram district, apparently to ward-off anti-incumbency in his current Rishivandiyam constituency, political observers say.
The actor-politician, who launched the DMDK in September, 2005, tested his fortunes in electoral politics for the first time in 2006 when he contested from Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore district and emerged as the lone victorious candidate of his fledgling party.
As the lone MLA, his attendance in the Assembly was poor and was branded as a “non-performer” by opposition parties. Since there was nothing major for him to showcase as his achievements in Vriddhachalam, he shifted to Rishivandiyam in 2011 and won by a huge margin, observers say.
And now history repeats itself. Vijayakanth has now chosen Ulundurpet. In the three elections he contested or is contesting, he has stood from as many constituencies.
It is an open secret he hardly visited the constituencies from where he was elected in the past decade. Though DMDK is evasive on why its chief keeps migrating from one seat to another, political observers say it is a strategy to avoid anti-incumbency in the particular seat.
Though Vijayakanth is not the only leader to shift constituencies, in the recent past no one has shifted their seats so frequently. “Anti incumbency in the constituency is definitely a factor.
But this is not the first time that a leader has shifted his constituency. Many others have done it earlier, but they don’t move far off. They do move to neighbouring constituencies. It is not that big an issue but anti-incumbency does exist,” political analyst Sumanth C Raman told Deccan Chronicle.
Political observers also feel that Vijayakanth’s ‘star power’ might work in his favour wherever he goes. “Definitely the star power works. It might not translate completely into votes but it has some advantage. It can surely get you good crowds which can make some impact,” Raman said.
