PT Selvakumar, former manager of actor-turned-politician Vijay, on Friday declared that he is ready to contest the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections against Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief if Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leadership asks him to do so.
Selvakumar, who served as Vijay’s public relations officer for over 25 years, joined the DMK in December 2025 in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. Since then, he has become active in state politics.
“If the DMK leadership orders, I am ready to contest even against Vijay. I have no second thoughts,” Selvakumar said.
Speaking about Vijay’s political prospects, Selvakumar said that while it would be good if the TVK chief contested elections, he was unsure how the actor would handle electoral outcomes.
“To my knowledge, if Vijay contests, it is good. But I am not sure how well he can handle victory or defeat. As far as I know, he generally doesn’t take defeats well. Politics is a different field. One has to work very hard,” he said.
Selvakumar also expressed doubt over whether Vijay, whom he described as accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle, would be able to match that level of ground engagement.
“He is not used to working hard, and especially with summer approaching, I don’t know how long he will manage to be with people on the ground. You know about his political journey. He travels on flights, stays in caravans and lives a comfortable life. I don’t know if he will manage to be with the people. From what I have seen while being with him, he doesn’t like to work hard,” the DMK leader said.
Selvakumar further claimed that Vijay typically spends only brief periods at public meetings and lacks the “speed and passion” needed for sustained political work among the masses. Ultimately, he said, voters would decide who is capable of representing them.
“You must have seen, whether it was the Karur rally or any other meeting, his maximum time spent wouldn’t be more than 10, 20, or 30 minutes. Only those with hard work, dedication, and deep concern for the people can enter this field. Vijay definitely won’t have that speed and passion to live among the people and do something for them. Whether people will vote for that actor or not is their choice. People have to decide who is best, who is good, who is capable, and who will be with them,” he added.
Selvakumar has also filed his application with the DMK to contest from the Kanyakumari constituency, submitting his form at the party office earlier in the day.
