MLA · 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly (2026–31)Former MLA · 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly (2026–31)

Premalatha Vijayakanth
  • Won 2026 by 2,387

Premalatha Vijayakanth

பிரேமலதா விஜயகாந்த்

MLA for Vriddhachalam since May 2026MLA for Vriddhachalam, 2026–31DMDK

  • AC 152 · Cuddalore district
  • Sitting MLA · 17th Assembly (2026–31)
  • Age 60 at the 2026 election
times elected MLA
1

Affidavit details not verified yet: the public record we use for this seat could not be matched to this MLA, so assets, cases and education are not shown. Age: from the Election Commission's candidate profile.

How did my village vote?Vriddhachalam seat page

Find your own MLA

Or browse all 234 MLAs

Explore next

Career

Premalatha Vijayakanth: the career, year by year

First elected to the Assembly in 2026

  • Assembly win
  • Office held
  • Party
  1. 1990

    Marries actor and DMDK founder 'Captain' Vijayakanth.

  2. 2005

    Vijayakanth founds the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK); Premalatha begins playing an organisational role behind the scenes.

  3. 2010s

    Becomes increasingly visible in DMDK affairs as Vijayakanth's health declines after his second-place finish in the 2011 Assembly election.

  4. Dec 2023

    'Captain' Vijayakanth passes away on 28 December 2023. Premalatha had already been promoted to General Secretary of the DMDK by the party's general council to anchor leadership during his illness.

  5. 2024-2025

    Rebuilds the DMDK cadre after the party's vote share collapsed from 8.38% in 2006 to under 1% by 2021. Anchors negotiations with both Dravidian poles for the 2026 election.

  6. Early 2026

    Joins the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance with a 10-seat allocation for DMDK. Her son Vijay Prabhakaran is fielded from Virudhunagar; her brother L. K. Sudheesh is sent to the Rajya Sabha on a DMK ticket.

  7. 4 May 2026

    Won Vriddhachalam for the DMDK (polling was on 23 April).

    See the full 2026 result
  8. 11 May 2026

    Sworn in as MLA; begins her first legislative term.

  9. 11 May 2026

    Took oath as MLA in the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

Profile

About Premalatha Vijayakanth

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.

Party
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
Born
Ambur, Vellore district
Profession
Politician (2010s– ); General Secretary, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK)
District
Cuddalore

Education

  • GraduationB.A. English Literature, Auxilium College, Katpadi (Vellore)

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.

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.

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)

Questions people ask

Who is Premalatha Vijayakanth?

Premalatha Vijayakanth was the General Secretary of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) in 2026, the party founded by her late husband, 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 led the party in 2026.

Other MLAs from Cuddalore district

C. V. GanesanTittakudi · DMKR. RajendranNeyveli · AIADMKK. MohanPanruti · AIADMKB. RajkumarCuddalore · TVKM. R. K. PanneerselvamKurinjipadi · DMKA. ArunmozhithevanBhuvanagiri · AIADMKM. Thamimun AnsariChidambaram · DMKL. E. JothimaniKattumannarkoil · VCK

Page last changed 2 October 2026.

Report an errorweb@tnexplorer.com