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"TVK Started To Wipe Tamil Tears": Vijay Fires Fresh Jabs At DMK, AIADMK

The DMK-led alliance that includes the Congress and the AIADMK-BJP partnership are expected to be the big contenders in the April Tamil Nadu election, with Vijay's TVK seen as a dark horse.

"TVK Started To Wipe Tamil Tears": Vijay Fires Fresh Jabs At DMK, AIADMK
Tamil actor Vijay and his TVK will make their electoral debut in the April election (File).
  • Vijay targets DMK and AIADMK ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly election in April
  • He hit out at the DMK, his "political enemy" while going soft on AIADMK to attract swing voters
  • Vijay likened his party's founding to MGR's AIADMK start to address voter disappointment
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Chennai:

Vijay took aim at Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its great rival, the AIADMK. Monday morning, firing barbs at the state's political heavyweights – but tactically staying clear of attacking its iconic leaders – weeks before a critical Assembly election.

The popular actor – whose Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will make its electoral debut in April – has been fiercely critical of the DMK in campaign rhetoric so far, calling Chief Minister MK Stalin's party his "political enemy". He has, however, been kinder on the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, likely to avoid alienating potential swing voters while claiming the legacy of its founder, MG Ramachandran, or MGR, and absorbing its rebels, including KA Sengottaiyan.

On the third anniversary of his party being founded, Vijay referred to a 1977 radio interview in which MGR – also a hugely successful actor before jumping into politics – said he 'shed tears over unworthy successors to anna, i.e., CN Annadurai, a political icon who founded the DMK.

"That day AIADMK was started… to wipe away those tears," Vijay claimed, "Similarly, after the 2021 election the people shed tears… thinking 'someone like this is sitting where Kamarajar (K Kamaraj, freedom fighter and ex Madras State Chief Minister), MGR, and anna sat… "

"So TVK was started… to wipe away those tears," Vijay said, "And you (his audience) and crores of people are the reason for our party having become the biggest in Tamil Nadu."

The actor also hit back at critics who have flagged his political inexperience by pointing out "even after winning an election MGR was belittled". "This is their (i.e., the DMK, for whom spokespersons TKS Elangovan and Saravanan called Vijay a "weekend politician" and unfamiliar with the nitty-gritties of on-ground politics) job. Now they are questioning my experience…"

"The mouths questioning Vijay's experience then criticised MGR…" Vijay snapped back at the DMK, "So whoever criticises us… it is like they are questioning MGR and even Kamarajar. And whoever opposes them and exposes them, they retaliate with stories. But we will expose them."

"Who has that guts other than us… we are the only representative of the people. If it is injustice and lawlessness and cheating… then it is the DMK," the actor thundered at the ruling party.

Switching targets, Vijay downplayed the challenge posed by the AIADMK, the main opposition party in the state. He has consistently ruled out any tie-up with that party, pointing to its current alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which the actor has labelled his "ideological enemy".

Ex-Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who heads the AIADMK now, has his work cut out to stop the DMK claiming a second consecutive and fourth major election win over his party.

"Many are talking about three-corner fights," Vijay said, referring to the TVK, the DMK-led ruling alliance (which includes, pending a seat-share deal, the Congress) and the AIADMK-BJP, although, again, in a tactical switch-up, he referred to the latter party as 'heading' the alliance.

"Let them say what they want. For us, on one side it is us… the people's force. In the other two are the DMK-led alliance and BJP-headed alliance. And only TVK can defeat the DMK…"

In the middle of this, meanwhile, is the Congress, which has yet to agree a seat-share deal with the DMK. The national party has made grumbling noises over the number offered by its state ally and, some reports indicate, a few within it are now considering a tie-up with Vijay and the TVK.

With a massive cult following and a political debut at the peak of his film career, Vijay continues to project supreme confidence despite controversies like those surrounding his farewell film 'Jana Nayagan', which remains without a censor board certification, and the Karur stampede.

He has drawn parallels to Annadurai and MGR. No actor has become Chief Minister since MGR and his protege, J Jayalalithaa, but Vijay is betting on his popularity to script a similar story.

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