'IYKYK': DMK's Jab At Vijay, AIADMK Over Karur Stampede

Political squabbling continues over the September 27 stampede in Tamil Nadu's Karur - in which 41 people were killed - with the ruling DMK taking swipes at AIADMK chief E Palaniswami and actor Vijay, whose TVK will make its electoral debut in next year's Assembly election.

A cartoon shared on X by the DMK's IT wing appeared to show Palaniswami and Vijay smiling and carrying a palanquin on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seated on a throne. The accompanying caption is succinct - IYKYK, it says, which is slang for 'if you know, you know'.

The brightly-coloured poster that shows EPS and Vijay acting as 'slaves' of the Prime Minister also references a line from a popular Tamil song, from a film starring ex-Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, or MGR, an iconic actor who turned to politics and set up the AIADMK in 1972.

The line, in Tamil, reads, 'why would slaves have blood running in their bodies?'

IYKYK pic.twitter.com/uM0E1RALwn

— DMK IT WING (@DMKITwing) October 13, 2025

In response the TVK called the allegation - of collusion (or subservience) with (or to) - 'baseless' and pointed out it was the DMK, in fact, that allied with the BJP between 1999 and 2001.

"We have never said we are aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party. In fact, we have always called it our 'ideological' enemy," TVK spokesperson Loyola Mani said,

The X post appeared after the Supreme Court greenlit a CBI probe, as demanded by the TVK.

A three-member panel led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi was set up.

The build-up to next year's election has seen buzz over alliance possibilities for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The party has ruled out any deal with its 'political enemy', i.e., the DMK, or its 'ideological enemy'. That leaves only the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The TVK has been noticeably softer in its attacks on the AIADMK, but Palaniswami's party already has an ally - the BJP - making a link-up with the TVK problematic.

However, since the Karur tragedy there has been increased talk of a TVK-AIADMK deal, including TVK party flags at AIADMK boss Palaniswami's campaign. Vijay's party has denied any such talk.

An AIADMK-TVK deal, however unofficial, will almost certainly mean the BJP and AIADMK's agreement will be scrapped, because the TVK cannot afford to be seen as allying with a party it has labelled its 'ideological enemy'.

Meanwhile, DMK alliance partners Congress and VCK have cautioned Vijay, saying the BJP might use the CBI inquiry to put pressure on him. VCK Chief Thirumavalavan said, "Vijay should be cautious. The CBI inquiry is a trap. BJP will try to corner him. This is a setback for Vijay, not for the DMK government."