With the 2026 Assembly elections on the horizon, Coimbatore became a stage for political showmanship this weekend, as Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay held parallel roadshows in the heart of the Kongu belt, a region considered crucial to Tamil Nadu’s electoral landscape. The simultaneous roadshows not only marked an early start to the campaign season but also hinted at a brewing three-way contest – between DMK, TVK and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – that could reshape traditional vote banks.
DyCM Udhayanidhi Stalin, who also serves as DMK’s Youth Wing Secretary and the state Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development, arrived in Coimbatore to a grand reception from DMK cadres at the airport. Standing atop an open vehicle, Udhayanidhi greeted the crowd, shaking hands and accepting petitions from the public.
His visit was officially to lay the foundation stone for a new astroturf hockey stadium costing Rs 9.67 crore and to inaugurate completed projects worth Rs 113 crore. Welfare assistance worth Rs 240 crore for 25,000 beneficiaries, bank loans worth Rs 15 crore to 2,300 women self-help groups, and 533 housing deeds were also distributed.
Just a day earlier, actor-politician Vijay held his own roadshow in Coimbatore. He arrived on Saturday, April 26, to attend a two-day workshop at a private college in Kurumbapalayam, where he led a conference training booth-level agents.
The event saw over 8,000 cadres from Salem, Namakkal, and Erode districts on the first day, with cadres from Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, and Karur participating on the second day. Vijay also held a brief roadshow on the second day. On both days, agents were trained on voter outreach strategies, booth management, and local-level campaigning. Each participant received a booklet and a pen drive containing election data from 2019 and 2021.
Addressing a massive gathering of around 7,300 booth agents at the end of his visit, Vijay told cadres to make the voting process a celebration, “like a temple festival.” He also added that TVK would form a “clean government” when they come to power. “There will be no compromises. We will go all-out to do good for the people.” Vijay added.
While Udhayanidhi’s roadshow largely attracted middle-aged supporters of the party, Vijay’s event drew a massive turnout of teenagers and young voters, a reflection not just of a possible generational shift in politics, but also of his enduring popularity among the youth as a film star.
Several fans tried climbing onto his vehicle to catch a closer glimpse of the star. In one video, a fan is seen leaping from a tree onto Vijay’s vehicle, prompting the actor to drape a party scarf over his shoulders. As another fan attempted to climb aboard, Vijay swiftly entered the vehicle while his security worked to control the growing crowd.
The Kongu region — comprising Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, and Salem — accounts for 46 Assembly constituencies. Traditionally, it has been a stronghold of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) since the party’s formation in 1972. However, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw a major shift, with the DMK-led alliance taking the lead in 42 of the 46 seats.
Senior journalist Abdul Muthaleef, who has been covering politics in the state for several years, said that the TVK was focused on the roadshow rather than the meeting in itself. “More than conducting the booth committee meeting, the TVK party focused on the roadshow of its chief Vijay. On the other hand, Udhayanidhi’s roadshow appeared fairly routine. While these roadshows may help align with the news cycle, they don't guarantee electoral success. Winning the trust and votes of the people, along with securing victory, depends largely on the strength of the alliances, the intensity of their political campaigns, and the clarity with which they present their political messages.”
Coimbatore, the heart of the Kongu region, holds importance in the state’s politics, accounting for a large share of Assembly seats. Its economic clout as an industrial hub, combined with the influence of dominant communities like the Kongu Vellala Gounders, makes it a region where political shifts can have an outsized impact. The DMK-led alliance’s strong showing here in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, overturning decades of AIADMK dominance, has now heightened its significance ahead of the 2026 polls.
Coimbatore also holds significant political value for the BJP due to its strategic location and history. The party has used the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts to strengthen its appeal among the party base. The city also boasts a large North Indian migrant population, creating a strong base for the BJP.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP's K Annamalai, the former state president of the party, was defeated by DMK's Ganapathy Rajkumar, who won by a margin of 1,10,404 votes. Similarly, in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan defeated Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan by a margin of 1,728 votes in the Coimbatore South constituency.