Why did Vijay challenge CM Stalin? | Powertrip #121

Welcome to this week’s Powertrip, a political newsletter exclusively curated for TNM and NL subscribers by Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna, and Shabbir Ahmed. Three days after the Karur stampede that killed 41 people, actor Vijay broke his silence with a video alleging sabotage, but that wasn’t his first take. An earlier, sharper recording naming a DMK leader was shelved. Why?TVK leaders disagree over a CBI probe; Amit Shah tried reaching Vijay but was ignored, while Rahul Gandhi was able to speak to Vijay. Why did Vijay choose to challenge Stalin and what’s at stake?Read these stories in today’s Powertrip..Inside TrackExclusive stories, for your eyes only.Why did Vijay challenge CM Stalin?Actor Vijay took three days to break his silence on the deadly stampede at his Karur rally on September 27. The 4-minute 45-second video he released on September 30, in which he alleged sabotage and challenged TN CM MK Stalin, was not his first recording but a toned-down version finalised after several rounds of discussions with party functionaries.TVK sources told TNM that the first video, recorded on September 29, had Vijay accusing the DMK government of deliberately not preventing the stampede at the Karur rally and had named former Tamil Nadu Minister and Karur strongman Senthil Balaji.That video was not released to the media, because even before Vijay could put it out, Stalin released a video in which he adopted a soft approach and did not blame or name Vijay.As a result, Vijay had to rework his statement and tone down the portions where he had directly accused the DMK government of the tragedy.The main leadership of TVK believes there was sabotage which is why Vijay still took that line in his video. The alleged sabotage angle was also mentioned in a petition filed by TVK General Secretary (Election Management) Aadhav Arjuna in the Madras High Court. But one thing that everyone does not agree on is the demand for a CBI probe.Aadhav’s CBI pitch vs the restAadhav Arjuna in his petition to the High Court has alleged sabotage and also demanded a CBI probe. Sources say that others in Vijay’s party like General Secretary Bussy Anand don’t want a CBI probe as they believe it will allow the BJP to manipulate the party. Aadhav, a former election strategist, is the son-in-law of lottery king Santiago Martin, one of the people who donated the most to DMK through electoral bonds. He is close to Prasanth Kishor. DMK sources meanwhile say that the government will vehemently oppose a CBI probe as the BJP has already floated many conspiracy theories. The DMK, however, has gone soft on Vijay and will continue to do so as agitating him would push him to the BJP.Amit Shah’s attempts to reach out to VijayA day after the Karur stampede, Union Home Minister Amit Shah attempted to reach Vijay. Senior leaders of Vijay’s party were contacted to arrange a call between the two.TVK sources told TNM that Shah’s office made multiple attempts through Vijay’s father SA Chandrasekar and members of the film industry, but Vijay’s camp did not respond. However, Vijay did speak to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a few hours after the tragedy, when Rahul reached out to both him and Chief Minister Stalin.TVK a difficult party to handleIn politics, what unfolds in public is often scripted or stage-managed. Parties may spar with the ruling government in full view while quietly keeping backdoor channels open to ensure smooth functioning.Most political outfits rely on unofficial representatives to handle crises, with bureaucrats acting as a bridge between government and opposition. But government sources say TVK has no such engagement.Reaching out to the party’s leadership is seen as daunting, with second-rung leaders often hostile to government machinery. Even attempts by state intelligence agencies to establish contact have been met with resistance.This has complicated matters for the administration, with many in the bureaucracy now questioning how a political party can function without maintaining proper communication channels. A similar approach, they note, is being taken towards the media as well.Why no FIR against Vijay? The FIR on the stampede was registered against TVK’s General Secretary Bussy Anand, Joint General Secretary Nirmal Kumar, and Karur West Secretary Mathialagan. However, only Mathialagan has been arrested so far.Why Vijay’s name was not included in the FIR is a question many are asking. Government sources told TNM that it was a ‘political call’. During the discussion on how to tackle the issue, the Chief Minister reportedly said adding Vijay’s name to the initial FIR would set a precedent that will end up in party leaders getting booked each time.The DMK leadership was also aware that any action against Vijay will be seen as political vendetta and could backfire ahead of the crucial 2026 Assembly election..Zero HourA political story of public importance.In Sonam Wangchuk, the Centre finds a scapegoat for its failures in Ladakh.The ruling BJP never delivered on its promises of Sixth Schedule status as the region continued to simmer..PowermovesTop 5 political storiesCPI(M)’s social engineering gambit: Wooing Hindu communities to keep BJP at bay Losing mileage: Gadkari's ethanol mix creates political rift and public ireHow did the Karur tragedy unfold: A timeline of Vijay’s TVK rally stampedeHyderabad: 36 foreign nationals from 10 African countries face deportationKIADB land notices trigger fear among Devanahalli farmers again

Why did Vijay challenge CM Stalin? | Powertrip #121

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