Launching broadside against the ruling DMK and the Stalin government, iconic actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president on Friday asked the electorate to take money offered during election as it is there money, but play the whistle, the poll symbol of the party, to pack those coming with cash as the 2026 electoral fight is primarily between the TVK, the force of purity, and the evil force DMK.
“An alliance arithmetic, which is an idle and non-self-starting engine, and banking on buying votes for cash will not work anymore after I enter the arena. They will give Rs 2000 or Rs 5000. Take it, because it is yours but ‘whistle podu’ (play the whistle aloud) to pack them off,” Vijay said, addressing a massive rally as part of his mass outreach, in Salem.
Not stopping with this, the actor-turned neta wanted to convey a message to the GenZee to put an end to the culture of cash for votes and monetising elections. Asking the crowd to raise their hands, he appealed to them to repeat “Our vote is our right, no one can buy them. Our vote is only for whistle. We will not trust others and be deceived.”
Responding to the criticism that he is targeting the ruling DMK than other parties, Vijay asked, “It is well known as to who all are ranged against me. But the election is only for the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Who is in power? Who is in power by having given false promises and running an anti-people government? To remove the DMK from power, whom should we focus on? Why should we focus on those successively deleted (defeated)? Why should we throw stones in the dark?”
Then, reiterating that the electoral fight in the 2026 assembly poll is primarily between the TVK, the force of purity, and the DMK, the evil force, he posed the question: “Do you believe Vijay or Stalin” and the resounding response was “Vijay”. Elated at the huge response, he asked, “Sir (obviously Stalin) do you hear this?” adding, “This one is enough. Katham …katham. This makes you sleepless.”
Targeting Stalin, he said, “The Chief Minister often says that under his government Tamil Nadu is out of the control of Delhi. But, contrary to the public posturing of ideology, he makes deals in secrecy. Your government is out of control of women’s safety, law and order and son. First appoint a regular DGP. After four and a half years in government, he asks the people to tell him what their dreams are. Stalin sir, do you know what their dreams are? They want to get rid of your corrupt anti-people government, replacing it with a TVK government. The bomb that I dropped at the first TVK conference in Villupuram – power share for allies – has rocked the alliances in the state,” he said.
Dismissing the frequently made charge that he is confined to the comforts of his home and is not stepping outside his party headquarters in Panaiyur, Vijay, turning emotional, explained, “You know where my home is? Tamil Nadu is a state for others. For me, it is my motherland and there are 8 crore people in my home. They are my kith and kin, who have given me everything. I will be the first soldier as a protector for them and I have come to seek justice. I have come for the people.”
“We have not come to politics to engage in hate politics and destroy anyone. To hide their inability and incompetence, they also ask what experience I have. What experience do they have other than looting public wealth? That we don’t have. You are occupying leadership in parties founded and built by others? Do you have the guts to start a party like me which has secured 30 percent vote share and become a primary force in Tamil Nadu politics,” he fumed, accusing the DMK of having forgotten Anna (Dravidian icon and DMK founder), and the AIADMK of Anna, MGR (AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran) and Jayalalithaa.
Disclosing that the TVK manifesto is getting ready, Vijay made it clear that he won’t offer anything from the sky which is not impractical but provide good governance like Kamaraj (Congress veteran whose reign is considered the golden era of the state) and MGR with the help of good bureaucrats.