Vijay Accuses DMK of Using TVK for Election Gains, Announces Independent Contest

Chennai: Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president actor Vijay on Friday toldCongress, without taking its name, to understand that the DMK was using the party only to “win elections”, amid a visible strain in the ties between the two parties over sharing power. Experience a more refined e-paper today Addressing a meeting of his party functionaries in Salem, Vijay termed his announcement at his first political conference in Vikravandi as a “political bomb” that is creating ripples across alliances in Tamil Nadu. He was referring to his statement that TVK will share power with allies. Though he asked Congress to understand the reality, Vijay announced that his party will contest the 2026 elections independently as people were with them. The actor-politician’s comments come two days after DMK chief and Chief Minister M K Stalin ruled out a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, saying people won’t accept such an arrangement. “In my address at the Vikravandi conference, I dropped a political bomb that we will offer a share in power to our allies. That bomb is now creating ripples across alliances in the state. Chief Minister Stalin is jittery about the demand for a share in power,” Vijay said. “He (Stalin) says it (coalition government) won’t work in Tamil Nadu. It won’t work for them (DMK). For them, alliance is only to win elections. He (Stalin) says Velvom Ondraaga (We will win together) but only DMK will enjoy the wealth. The operative part is Velvom Ondraaga. Those who need to understand this will get what I am saying,” the actor-politician added. Vijay’s TVK has been sending feelers to the Congress to jump ship for the 2026 assembly elections by flaunting its ‘share in power’ plank but the national party, despite a strain in its ties with the DMK, is waiting to launch seat-sharing talks. Congress’ demand for a coalition government was seen as a “pressure tactic” by the DMK, which wants to form a single-party government. The national party was using TVK as the bargaining chip to increase its number of seats in the alliance. In his speech, Vijay once again responded to criticism that he doesn’t come out of home, saying entire Tamil Nadu was his home. He also praises M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa and accused Stalin and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami of not upholding the legacy of C N Annadurai and M G Ramachandran. The actor-politician also accused the DMK government of not granting permission to his rallies and dubbed the SOP as “Stalin’s Operating Procedure.” Vijay also flayed Stalin for advancing the disbursal of assistance under the Kalaignar Women’s Rights Scheme and announcing a new Rs 2,000 “summer special package.” “This announcement is made only because of the growing popularity of the TVK across Tamil Nadu...Take the money because it is yours and blow whistle (his party’s election symbol) in their ears,” he added.