"Very challenging election for us... confident of win": DMDK candidate Vijaya Prabhakaran

The 33-year-old is pitted against two-time Congress MP Manickam Tagore and the BJP's Radikaa Sarathkumar, the wife of actor turned politician R Sarathkumar.

Late matinee idol and DMDK founder, Vijayakanth's son, V Vijaya Prabhakaran, who is set to make his electoral debut from Tamil Nadu's Virudhnagar Lok Sabha constituency has said he looks forward to contesting the upcoming general elections and was confident of victory. Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Prabhakaran dwelt at length on the challenges that lie ahead for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)- Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) alliance.

"I am looking forward to contesting this election and have taken this opportunity as a challenge in my life...This is a very challenging election for us. I am looking forward to taking up this election for the future of my party and the beliefs of my party members. And now we have a strong alliance with us now that AIADMK has joined with us...I am seeing the success rate is good on our side...," the DMDK candidate said. The 33-year-old is pitted against two-time Congress MP Manickam Tagore and the BJP's Radikaa Sarathkumar, the wife of actor turned politician R Sarathkumar.

"Definitely when a new candidate and a youngster like me who has very good support from the AIADMK alliance and my own party... and this is my ancestors ground (Virudhunagar). So I am contesting in my own constituency. So the sitting MP is strong". Vijaya Prabhakaran is confident of AIADMK returning to power in the State.

"Definitely, we will break those barriers and prove who we are," he said. As per the seat sharing agreement, AIADMK will contest on 32 seats, DMDK on five seats, and Puthiya Tamilagam (PT) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) will contest on one seat each.

Voting for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will be held in the first phase of the general elections on April 19. In the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, comprising the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state.

In 2019, DMK won 23 Lok Sabha seats with a 33.2 per cent vote share, Congress bagged 8 seats with a 12.9 per cent vote and CPI won two seats in Tamil Nadu. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of the votes will take place on June 4. (ANI)

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