Chennai
Dashing the hopes of the AIADMK and the BJP, which were desperate for an alliance with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the fledgling party has declared its top leader, actor Vijay as the Chief Ministerial face.
The party reiterated that it would head a separate alliance to take on the ruling DMK in the 2026 assembly election in Tamil Nadu.
“There are only two contenders in 2026 and the contest will be fierce but victory is ours. Victory is certain, we will triumph and create history by restoring people’s faith,” the film star declared, while addressing the party’s Special General Council meet at the heritage coastal town Mamallapuram, about 55 km from Chennai.
Significantly, this is Vijay’s first public appearance after the September 27 Karur killer stampede at the actor’s rally which claimed 41 lives, and turned the party into silent mode since then.
The announcement that Vijay is the Chief Ministerial candidate of the party, a reiteration of the TVK’s earlier stand, was received with loud cheers and applause.
The meeting, which commenced with a two-minute silence for the victims of the stampede, passed 12 resolutions, including one which authorised Vijay to take any decision regarding alliance for the forthcoming assembly poll.
Reaffirming the earlier position that the "corrupt" DMK is the TVK’s political enemy and the "fascist" BJP, the ideological foe, another resolution reiterated that the party will fight both together.
The film star, addressing the meeting, launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin for his remarks made in the assembly about the stampede, terming them as a "bundle of lies" intended to tarnish the image of the party through "malicious canards" even while posturing as though he is above board and not politicising the tragedy.
“His speech was filled with political hostility and animosity. This is nothing new for the DMK from 1969 onward. To be specific, 1972 onwards, when the family (Karunanidhi family) took over, there was none to question them. Now, the Supreme Court has come down heavily on the DMK government, posing uncomfortable questions which even their lawyers were left dumbfounded,” he said.
Explaining as to why the party had gone into silent mode, the actor said, “We were grief-stricken since our dear ones have died. Using that as an opportunity, malicious propaganda was unleashed. Now, all these will be wiped out since justice and truth is on our side.
"After the tragedy, the government hurriedly constituted a one-man judicial commission and top officers briefed the media, leaving the people and the Supreme Court to raise doubts," he said.
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