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Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam · MLA Vriddhachalam · AC 152

Premallatha Vijayakant

Premalatha Vijayakanth won Vriddhachalam (AC 152) in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election as the DMDK candidate (allied with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance), polling 69,351 votes and edging TVK's S. Vijay by a margin of 2,387 in a tight three-way contest with PMK's Dr. Tamizharasi P. on 59,791. This is her first elected office — but it follows years of running the party after her husband, DMDK founder and former Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition 'Captain' Vijayakanth, fell ill and later died in December 2023. Vriddhachalam was the seat from which Vijayakanth himself won his first Assembly term in 2006.

PV
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam

Premallatha Vijayakant

DMDKMLA · Vriddhachalam
Born
18 March 1969 in Ambur, Vellore district (57 yrs)
Constituency
Vriddhachalam · AC 152
District
Cuddalore
Party
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
Profession
Politician (2010s– ); General Secretary, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK)
2026 result
won by 2,387 votes

At a glance

2026 votes
69,351
in the assembly election
Margin
2,387
votes ahead of runner-up
Constituency
Vriddhachalam
AC 152 · Cuddalore
Party
DMDK
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
Field size
19
candidates contested

Education

Career timeline

The 2026 win — Vriddhachalam

Premallatha Vijayakant polled 69,351 votes, defeating Vijay S. (TVK) by a margin of 2,387.

#CandidatePartyVotes
1Premallatha VijayakantDMDK69,351
2Vijay S.TVK66,964
3Dr TAMIZHARASI. P.PMK59,791
4Ananthi DhandapaniNTK6,047
5Arivazhagan E. N.IND1,896

→ Full Vriddhachalam (AC 152) seat page · district: Cuddalore

Family

Daughter of L. Kannaiah (sugar factory manager) and K. Hamsaveni. Married DMDK founder 'Captain' Vijayakanth in 1990; widowed in December 2023. Two sons — actor-politician Vijay Prabhakaran (DMDK candidate from Virudhunagar in 2026) and Shanmuga Pandian. Brother L. K. Sudheesh nominated to the Rajya Sabha on a DMK ticket as part of the 2026 SPA seat-sharing.

Party & ideology

Premalatha leads the DMDK in a self-described 'rebuilding' phase — porting Captain Vijayakanth's centrist Tamil-pride and anti-corruption legacy into a working alliance with the DMK after years of swing between the two Dravidian poles. The party's 2006 surge as a third force has not been replicated since Vijayakanth's 2011 second-place finish, and Premalatha's strategy in 2026 has been to trade alliance discipline for legislative presence — accepting 10 SPA-alliance seats rather than contesting alone.

Notable statements

Every party has an ideology. No one will compromise on that. But electoral victory is more important at this point of time.— Premalatha Vijayakanth · interview to The Week, 18 April 2026
Brother Stalin will be CM again — the Secular Progressive Alliance will sweep Tamil Nadu.— Premalatha Vijayakanth · campaign rally, 23 April 2026 (per ANI)

FAQ

Who is Premalatha Vijayakanth?

Premalatha Vijayakanth is the General Secretary of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the widow of party founder Captain Vijayakanth. She won Vriddhachalam in 2026 with 69,351 votes — her first elected office. The seat was Vijayakanth's first Assembly win in 2006.

How did she become DMDK General Secretary?

She was promoted to General Secretary of the DMDK by the party's general council during Vijayakanth's illness, before his death on 28 December 2023. The DMDK has effectively been led by her since the late 2010s as Vijayakanth's health declined.

Is DMDK part of the DMK alliance in 2026?

Yes. DMDK joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance with a 10-seat allocation. Premalatha contested Vriddhachalam, her son Vijay Prabhakaran was fielded from Virudhunagar, and her brother L. K. Sudheesh was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on a DMK ticket.

What is her family connection to politics?

She married DMDK founder Captain Vijayakanth in 1990. They had two sons — Vijay Prabhakaran (DMDK candidate from Virudhunagar in 2026) and Shanmuga Pandian. Vijayakanth died in December 2023; Premalatha now leads the party.

Sources