Vellore (Tamil Nadu), Feb 23 (PTI) TVK founder Vijay on Monday stepped up his attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin ahead of the high-stakes assembly polls, alleging that the DMK president’s real friends were “bribery and corruption,” and asserted that the upcoming elections were “a war between Vijay and Stalin.” Addressing a meeting of party functionaries in Vellore, a DMK stronghold, he also turned emotional and asserted that “Vijay and the people of Tamil Nadu can’t be separated. We are like flesh and blood.” The actor-politician said he represented the entire state. “It is sensitive sentiment,” he declared amid cheers from cadres and said, “Do you need Vijay and believe Vijay, who loves the people, or Stalin sir, who runs an anti-people regime?”” Referring to Stalin’s statement that the Chief Minister had no foes in politics and that all were his friends, Vijay said: “Then why blame me for the Karur stampede?… Why refuse the venue and permission for TVK (rallies and events), if we are friends?… You did everything and then blamed us for the Karur tragedy.” At least 41 people died, and many were injured during a stampede at Vijay’s rally in Karur on 27 September 2025.
He reiterated that TVK is a “pure force” and accused the DMK of being an “evil force.” Describing the polls, expected to be held in next two months, as a “surprising elections” because all the parties have teamed up against him, he said, despite such a scenario, the contest was only between the DMK and TVK.
He said that these parties oppose him because he was against graft and bribes. He added that people supported him, which infuriated these parties.
He also dared his political opponents to declare their assets. “At this juncture, I would like to ask the big politicians a serious question. What were your assets before you came to politics? What are your assets after you joined politics? Can it be declared openly?” Further, he asked them to “reveal their source of wealth: Whether it came from business/work or was swindled after assuming power”. He said all corrupt elements would gang up on anyone questioning the source of their wealth, adding that they would “throw mud on us, but we are not concerned about it.” He alleged Stalin’s “real friends are bribery and corruption”. He also accused the Chief Minister of making false promises to the people and sought to debunk the ruling party’s claim of developing Tamil Nadu into a “superstar state,” saying it was “such a superb” one during the times of iconic leaders K Kamaraj, CN Annadurai and M G Ramachandran.
Vijay, the chief of the fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), also flayed the DMK’s narrative that the upcoming polls were a fight between “Tamil Nadu and Delhi—the NDA.” “The actual battle was between the state’s people and corruption—by extension, the DMK,” he said, alleging that the Stalin-led government was “inept.” “The assembly election is a war between Vijay and Stalin,” he said.
Dubbing the DMK regime as “good-for-nothing ulta (a popular colloquial phrase with origins in Hindi) model government,” he alleged that Tamil Nadu has been transformed into a “super-standup comedian-run state”. “Be what you want to be. But your governance is flawed and not required for Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Praising people for superb clarity, he said he would visit every village and personally meet the people once the TVK formed the government following a huge win in the 2026 Assembly election.
He also took a swipe at the DMK forming alliances, claiming Stalin was accommodating anybody and everybody in the party-led bloc.
Vijay arrived to a rousing reception by party workers at Agaramcheri village near the Pallikonda toll plaza on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway in this district and administered the pledge to the TVK members.
“No one can buy us, our vote is for (party symbol) whistle. We won’t believe anyone and get deceived. We won’t deviate from our words. This is the truth,” Vijay said and asked his party workers to repeat after him. Positioning himself as a “whistleblower” for Tamil Nadu, he targeted the DMK over its “unfulfilled” electoral assurances, alleging deterioration in the law and order situation. He gave a string of assurances if voted to power, including top-notch education and good restrooms for girls in state-run schools. Quoting Dravidian icon Annadurai, Vijay reiterated that the TVK’s stand was secularism and social justice. The DMK reacted strongly to Vijay’s attack, with senior party leader TKS Elangovan slamming Vijay for his attempt to hide the chief minister’s over 50-year history of struggle and toil for the sake of people’s welfare. “It is actually Vijay who has done only comical things in his life and thus a stand-up comedian who also dances,” he said and added that the election results will show the Chief Minister’s hard work for the people. PTI JSP VGN SA PYK PYK
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