The war of words between Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and actor-politician Vijay's fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam flared up again Monday, with Chief Minister MK Stalin accusing "new parties" of wanting to "eliminate" the DMK. Mr Stalin, however, played down the import of such threats, declaring, "I can only say, 'long live those who chide us'." The riposte comes a day after Vijay targeted the ruling party on multiple issues, including sale of liquor and law and order.
Although Mr Stalin did not specifically mention Vijay or his TVK, the reference was clear, with the Chief Minister saying sarcastically, "... as (former Chief Minister and DMK icon) CN Annadurai said, I can only say 'long live those chide us' and that our intention is to do good for the public."
"We don't have to respond to others needlessly... we don't want to waste time as we don't have enough to serve the people," the DMK boss said, as he preps for the 2026 Tamil Nadu election.
"In one word, if I need to say something, I can say 'vazhga vasavalargal' (translated as 'let those who criticise us live'). I am not worried about those things," he said, adding, "... even those who launch new parties (the comment seen as a jab at Vijay) want the DMK eliminated."
To that end, Mr Stalin this morning reproved "a few media" publications for circulating videos from last year's devastating floods to claim waterlogging after a spell of heavy rain in October.
"A few media used flood visuals of last year (to) claim there is waterlogging now... a few do this, not all. Please don't mistake me... (but) they don't like the DMK growing," he said,
"All I can humbly ask of them is to think of our achievements over the past nearly four years."
On Sunday, Vijay's TVK launched a multi-pronged attack at the DMK and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing the former over the sale of alcohol through government-controlled shops to mop up revenue even as it gave Rs 1,000 monthly for women. He wanted the state government to close government liquor shops in a phased way. He also criticised the latter over the contentious NEET issue
READ | Actor Vijay's Party, TVK, Slams DMK, Opposes 'One Nation One Election'
At a meeting of district-level party officials, the TVK passed 26 resolutions, including condemning the union government's 'One Nation, One Election' proposal. There was also a resolution against Mr Stalin's government for its handling of the southern state's finances.
Vijay's TVK has ruffled the feathers of both the DMK and its long-time rival, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, since it was registered as a political party on September 8.
READ | "Copyist", "Cocktail Ideology": DMK, AIADMK Mock Actor-Politician Vijay
The DMK and AIADMK, and the Dravidian ideology at their core, dominate Tamil Nadu politics, making it next to impossible for national parties like the BJP and Congress to make their mark. The TVK will hope to break that stranglehold with help from the actor's immense popularity.
Perhaps predictably, the TVK has not been received favourably by the DMK or AIADMK.
Earlier Vijay accused the DMK, and hit out at the Chief Minister and his family's legacy, of having cheated the people of Tamil Nadu "in the name of the Dravidian model".
Last week the ruling party dismissed the newcomer's political ideology as having been copied from its books, while the opposition party called it a "cocktail" of various political positions.
"These are all our policies, he is copying... whatever he says is what we already said and which we are following," the DMK's TKS Elangovan told news agency PTI.
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan congratulated Vijay on entering politics but said he has a long way to go to deliver. TVK's ideology "is a mix of ideology of all parties and old wine in new bottle...a cocktail ideology taken from all political parties in Tamil Nadu," he said.
As for the Congress, which is allied with the DMK at the state and national levels (the latter under the INDIA bloc banner), the party's state unit, widely seen as the junior member of the DMK alliance, has distanced itself from any talk of an agreement with Vijay and his TVK.
READ | "Only High Command...": Congress On Tamil Nadu Power-Sharing
State Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai said only the Delhi office could make that call.
NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.
