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Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder-president and actor Vijay on Saturday, September 13, began his first state-wide political tour, addressing packed gatherings in Trichy and Ariyalur.
In his speeches, Vijay hit out at both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of deceiving the people and failing Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at Trichy, Vijay accused the BJP of treating Tamil Nadu with step-motherly bias and said the delimitation exercise was designed to weaken the political power of the south. He also criticised the proposal for one nation, one election, calling it an attempt to dismantle state governments and a “murder of democracy.”
Turning his attack on the DMK, Vijay asked how many of the 505 promises made during the 2021 Assembly elections had actually been fulfilled. He listed assurances such as the abolition of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), waiver of education loans, 40% reservation for women in government jobs, filling two lakh vacancies, and reintroduction of the old pension scheme, and asked, “Did they keep these promises? Will you vote for them again?”
Noting the recent controversy on kidney racket, Vijay said, “Everyone knows about the kidney racket that happened in this district. It was in a hospital owned by a DMK MLA. But they try to whitewash it, saying it was just irregularities, not theft.”
He questioned why Trichy had seen no real progress despite having two ministers from the district. “What benefit has this district received? Will you vote for them again?” he asked.
Vijay also accused the DMK of humiliating women through its welfare schemes. “You give Rs 1,000 to women, but not to all. And for those who receive it, you shame them. You even humiliate women who use the free bus service. If you want to treat them this way, then why give these schemes at all?” he said.
“The DMK thinks people will remain silent about such insults. But in the coming elections, the people will give them the right response,” he added.
Vijay further added TVK would only promise what it could deliver, adding that the party would prioritise healthcare, education, drinking water, public distribution system (PDS), roads, electricity, women’s safety, and law and order.
“Our vision is a Tamil Nadu without poverty, dynastic politics and corruption and a true democracy with conscience,” he said.
The TVK chief arrived at the Trichy airport on a private flight, and it took him nearly five hours to cover the 8 km distance to Marakkadai, as thousands of fans and cadres thronged the roads.
However, the Trichy event ended in disappointment for many supporters as most of his speech was inaudible due to a technical glitch after cadres barged into the console area and disconnected the microphones.
Following this, he travelled to Ariyalur and Perambalur, and addressed the crowds from his campaign vehicle, thanking people for embracing him as one of their own.
“I have earned enough money in my life. I don’t need to earn more by entering politics. My enemies speak aimlessly because they can see my connection with the people,” he said.
The Perambalur meeting was cancelled as it was past 1 am as Vijay reached there. The tour will cover all 38 districts of Tamil Nadu and the final leg of the campaign will be held in Madurai on December 20. Most events are scheduled on Saturdays, with only one on a Sunday.