Chennai: With actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam courting Tamil Nadu’s change-seeking youth, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman has launched a counter-strategy, recalibrating his celebration’s strategy by means of caste and regional illustration to not solely forestall his roughly eight p.c vote share from shifting to the TVK, but additionally increasing his assist base earlier than the 2026 Meeting polls.

NTK sources instructed ThePrint the celebration had finalised candidates for greater than 100 constituencies, their alternatives pushed by social and regional issues, and never simply Tamil ideological strains.

For years, Seeman pitched himself because the Tamil nationalist various to the Dravidian duopoly. His experiment now with a calibrated caste-based social engineering mannequin is aimed toward increasing the NTK’s attain and defending its base.

Political analyst N. Sathiya Moorthy mentioned it was a realistic shift within the NTK’s strategy.

“After they began contesting elections from the 2016 meeting polls, the NTK has by no means been seen fielding candidates based mostly on their castes, however based mostly on the ideological leanings of the candidate and the way a lot efforts the candidate has put in for the celebration to develop. This could possibly be a brand new technique to counter the rise of Vijay’s TVK,” Sathiya Moorthy instructed ThePrint.

Different political analysts within the state mentioned Seeman’s newest technique is not only about holding onto the NTK’s 6–8 p.c vote share, however an try and construct new caste and region-based blocs that may give the celebration leverage in 2026.

Political commentator Ravindran Duraisamy instructed ThePrint the NTK’s purpose now could be to tug in communities “ignored by the AIADMK”, particularly non-Vanniyar and non-Gounder teams.

“In western districts, the NTK is fielding Dalit candidates even generally constituencies. Within the south, it’s reaching out to Mukkulathors and Nadars by invoking Muthuramalinga Thevar’s legacy. It’s a calculated social engineering plan, very like Kanshi Ram’s experiment within the north.” Duraisamy instructed ThePrint.

Actor Vijay’s political entry seems to have unsettled events like Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi, with many observers stating Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam(TVK) may eat into NTK’s vote share, as has additionally been advised in surveys.

Nonetheless, after the 27 September stampede at Vijay’s rally in Karur, the place 41 lives have been misplaced, political analysts are divided on whether or not Vijay can really garner the assist of the ‘alternative-seeking’ voters who’ve thus far been with Seeman’s NTK.

Professor and political analyst Arun Kumar mentioned Vijay’s celebration has gained assist even after the Karur stampede, and his celebration will inevitably eat into the NTK’s vote share.

“The vote share of NTK is more likely to shift in the direction of Vijay’s TVK since their ideological positioning and messaging are considerably related. There’s a normal 10 p.c of the citizens that persistently vote for a substitute for the 2 Dravidian events, and this group may choose Vijay to Seeman now,” Arun Kumar instructed ThePrint.

Nonetheless, NTK’s youth wing coordinator Idumbavanam Karthi rejected the argument that Vijay may eat into their base. “We’ve got constructed a powerful base on the sales space stage, and our cadres are ideologically politicised. Our employees have ideological readability and won’t yield to the star gaze,” he instructed ThePrint.

TVK’s spokesperson A. Raj Mohan additionally dismissed recommendations that Vijay’s celebration is focusing on NTK’s vote financial institution.“We don’t look into the vote share of any celebration. We want to acquire the assist of the folks,” he instructed ThePrint.

---

Additionally Learn: How Seeman’s ‘autocratic’ rule has fuelled NTK exodus, and why he’s unfazed by mass resignations

---

NTK’s social engineering

Forward of the 2026 meeting election, Seeman’s NTK has begun to recalibrate its technique throughout the state. In line with sources within the NTK, the NTK is planning to area candidates from Mukkulathor and Yadhava communities (OBC) in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts down south, the place Dravidian events largely nominate candidates from the Nadar group (OBC).

Equally, within the northern districts the place the Vanniyar group (OBC) is numerically dominant, sources instructed ThePrint, the NTK is more likely to nominate candidates from Dalit group.

“We consider that the discontented second majority group and different smaller communities within the area would consolidate in opposition to the one numerically dominant group,” an NTK supply instructed ThePrint.

In line with the supply, the celebration can be planning to area Brahmin candidates in Chennai’s T-Nagar, Mylapore, Saidapet and Birugambakkam constituencies.

“This group has been lengthy sidelined by the Dravidian events, however they do have assist on the bottom. Though the group is just not numerically dominant, they could be seen as a caste-neutral candidate who wouldn’t assist any of the dominant communities within the constituency,” the supply instructed ThePrint.

The celebration can be mentioned to be reaching out to Telugu-speaking communities together with Naidus, Nayakars and Reddys, in an try and counter the notion that NTK is an anti-Telugu celebration. In sure unreserved constituencies, in line with celebration insiders, Seeman can be planning to area tribal and Dalit candidates, a gesture of inclusivity.

“No different celebration provides such cross-community illustration. From Brahmins in Chennai to Dalits within the north and tribals generally constituencies, our chief desires to take a look at each Tamil group and make sure that everyone seems to be a part of the motion,” a celebration functionary instructed ThePrint.

When requested concerning the celebration’s social engineering and selecting candidates based mostly on their caste, celebration’s youth wing coordinator Idumbavanam Karthi mentioned the seat allocation was not based mostly on caste, however on the idea of social illustration.

“We aren’t asking for votes within the title of caste. We’re giving illustration to all of the communities within the explicit area,” Karthi instructed ThePrint.

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)

---

Additionally Learn: LTTE ‘sympathiser’, an ‘various’ to DMK, AIADMK — what’s NTK, Tamil celebration in eye of NIA storm

---