Actor Vijay targets DMK, charges CM Stalin with failure to implement poll promises

Sharpening his attack on the ruling DMK, actor-turned-neta and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Saturday accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of failing to fulfil poll promises and remaining unconcerned about the deteriorating law and order in the state.

With a sea of humanity turning up for his first mass outreach rally at Trichy, it took him more than five hours to travel just six kilometres from the airport to the venue. Though he started around 9 am, he could reach the venue in the city only by 2.45 pm. The crowd turnout was a reminder of the bygone era of the late 70s and 80s, when people used to wait for hours together to see their leaders address campaign meetings.

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Posing questions on unkept promises and those implemented in a half-baked manner, and with the mammoth crowd responding in a resounding ‘no’, Vijay asked, “Chief Minister Stalin, can you hear the voice of Trichy?” He added, “Having launched free bus travel in city buses for women, christened ‘Vidiyal Payanam’, they are insulting women who for it. While implementing the Rs 1,000 scheme for women heads of households, many have been left out. Most of the promises have not been fulfilled.” Charging the government, he spoke as the restive crowd, mostly youth, waved at him in acknowledgement.

Vijay likened the upcoming 2026 assembly election to a war and said, “Warriors pray at the shrine of their family deities before proceeding to a battle, and I have come to the people with folded hands.” Recalling the 500 pre-poll promises made by the DMK in the 2021 election campaign, he sought to know how many of them have been fulfilled. “What happened to the promise of filling up two lakh vacancies in government jobs and earmarking 40% government jobs to women? What happened to the pledge to waive educational loans and reduce the price of petrol by Rs 3 as well as reverting to the old pension schemes for government servants and teachers?” he asked and said, “No answer will come from the DMK.”

Sporting a scarf with the maroon and golden yellow colours of the party flag, Vijay, who arrived in a caravan, addressed the massive gathering from atop a vehicle, surrounded by bouncers. Enthusiastic TVK supporters were seen perched on trees near the venue, while some hurled the scarf at him. “There should be no compromise on the safety of women and law and order. If the TVK is voted to power, it will ensure basic necessities like education, health, and electricity for all,” he said.

He commenced his address, briefly interrupted by a technical glitch in the audio system, by claiming the legacy of Dravidian icons, ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy and ‘Anna’ CN Annadurai, and AIADMK founder and late matinee icon ‘MGR’ MG Ramchandran. “Thanthai (father figure) Periyar lived in Trichy, the DMK under Anna decided to contest elections in Trichy, and MGR held the AIADMK’s first conference in Trichy. As such, Trichy has historically heralded the changing political trajectory of Tamil Nadu.” Initially, the TVK had five leaders, including Periyar and Ambedkar, as its ideological guiding light. Anna and MGR were absent in that pantheon, but since the Madurai conference in August this year, he has been claiming their legacy to reinforce the idea of regime change. Even their portraits were painted on the caravan. According to observers, this is a clear strategy to lure the AIADMK voters. However, the massive turnout has forced all political parties to take a reality check.

The four-month-long mass outreach being held on Saturdays, except on Sundays as well in the Coimbatore region, will conclude at Madurai on December 20.