Days after Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay held the first state conference of his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at Vikravandi town in Villuppuram district, various political factions in Tamil Nadu are raising eyebrows over his political venture The reaction seems to be mixed.
Sunday’s massive rally marked the official launch of TVK launched by the Tamil superstar, popularly called “Thalapathy (Commander)” by his fans, in an apparent bid to contest the next assembly elections.
Addressing a TVK conclave attended by over three lakh people, Vijay took aim at the BJP-led central government and the LDF-led state government, stating the party’s anti-caste, secular ideology while claiming “Dravidiana and nationalism are the two eyes of the BJP”. He said his party would embrace the ideology of Tamil icons such as Periyar but would not adopt an “anti-God stance”.
Leaders of the two main Dravidian parties – the ruling DMK and the main opposition AIADMK – and several other players appeared to be weighing the implications of Vijay’s entry into the crowded national political arena, working on the finer points and fine print of his speech.
AIADMK general secretary and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami or EPS took a confident stance, asserting that TVK would not cannibalize his party’s votes. “He (Vijay) will not cut down the votes of the AIADMK. We have never diluted our ideology,” EPS said.
EPS’s remarks come amid speculation that Vijay’s advocacy of “government power sharing” is intended to propose an alliance to the AIADMK. Vijay also did not criticize the AIADMK. However, EPS dismissed the claims, telling reporters “I can’t answer your imaginary questions.”
The DMK, which bore the brunt of Vijay’s attack, tried to play down the matter. Vijay criticized the Stalin government’s “Dravidian model” as a “front for corrupt governance” and ridiculed those who claimed to fight fascism but failed to take actual action.
Both DMK organizing secretary RS Bharathi and party leader EVKS Elangovan dismissed Vijay’s allegations. “The tree bearing fruit will be stoned to death,” said Bharati. “He (Vijay) is trying to copy all our policies,” Elangovan said.
Stalin’s son and deputy prime minister Udayanidhi dodged questions about Vijay’s entry into national politics, saying he would “comment after watching his speech”.
Several DMK leaders sounded cautious and wanted to consider any impact that Vijay might have on the anti-DMK voting base.
BJP leader and Union Minister L Murugan raised questions over Vijay’s remarks against communal and divisive politics, questioning his grasp of national issues. “It is clear that Vijay is contrary to our ideology and lacks clarity in his political programme,” Murugan said, referring to the BJP’s criticism of what it sees as the DMK’s “dynastic politics”.
However, DMK ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), led by Dalit leader Thol Thirumavalavan, was less dismissive. VCK deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna welcomed Vijay’s call for “power sharing”, saying it echoed the party’s stance. “Our party’s stance on power sharing has started to resonate across the state,” Arjuna said.
Congress, another DMK ally, also reacted cautiously to Vijay’s speech. State Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai played down speculation of an alliance between Vijay and his party, saying a “strong state alliance” had been forged in the form of the India Bloc. On reports of Vijay’s closeness to Rahul Gandhi, he said: “It is a fact that Vijay is close to Rahul Gandhi. But friendship is different from politics”, reiterating that the Congress party will remain committed to the Indian Union.
Many state politicians believe that Vijay’s “strategic silence” on the AIADMK may indicate his attempt to position TVK as a “viable alternative to the DMK and the BJP”. Several AIADMK leaders, however, did not comment on Vijay’s speech or his massive rallies, saying they would monitor the situation.
Asked about the “unease” in the ruling coalition, a senior government source closely following Vijay’s journey said the mixed reaction was to be expected. “All this is part of the script. Vijay will face problems and evolve. If he is against corruption, why was he questioned by the ED over investments a few years ago? If the family dynasty is his problem, then his father Wasn’t his status as a film director what helped launch his career? Didn’t his superstar status secure a senior directorial contract for his son at a young age?
“Vijay politically has to answer these questions. The real challenge is his consistency, not the questions or the answers. Now, since he leaves for a film shoot in two days and won’t be back until January After the rally, he ended up sending only Harvest Festival greetings. If Vijay believed he could juggle politics while maintaining a high-profile private lifestyle, reality would soon catch up. Fuck him.
Amid the mixed reactions, Vijay wrote a four-page letter to his supporters, thanking them for attending the rally in large numbers.
He acknowledged that his party will face criticism in the future but urged his followers to focus on their core mission. “After the meeting, I expect people will criticize us more and we should take constructive suggestions seriously,” he said.