In the wake of the Jana Nayagan row and after being questioned by the CBI in connection with the Karur stampede, actor-politician Vijay finally broke his silence at a Tamil Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) meeting on January 25.
“Regardless of your plots and pressure, I did not come into politics to give in, be dependent or to be enslaved to anyone. I came to politics to stand up against any harm done to my land or my people,” Vijay said.
Vijay’s speech comes at a time when uncertainty persists regarding the release of his latest film Jana Nayagan. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is yet to certify the film, holding up the release. Further, on January 12, Vijay was interviewed by the CBI in connection to the 41 deaths that occurred during a TVK’s rally in Karur.
Addressing party functionaries at a consultative meeting ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Vijay said that “there is no pressure for us. No one can put pressure on me. This is not the face that will succumb to any kind of pressure.”
The TVK president further said, “You are the frontline warriors … What is going to take place is not only an election. It is a democratic war. You are the commandos who will lead it.”
Notably, earlier the same day, DMK ally and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan alleged that the BJP is attempting to force TVK to join its alliance.
Vijay added, “Those who ruled Tamil Nadu before [AIADMK] were enslaved to the BJP. There’s no point trusting them … The DMK is even worse. They [AIADMK] surrendered openly, the DMK has surrendered covertly. That’s the only difference.” He added that the people of Tamil Nadu are “under pressure” but that they trust the TVK.
He also accused both the AIADMK and the DMK of forgetting Anna Durai’s ideals. He added that if he came to power he would not be corrupt like previous governments.
The TVK president urged his cadre to remain vigilant, win public trust and be united.
Vijay further alleged that for the DMK and AIADMK, the polling booth “is the place to cast fraudulent votes.” He added, “But not for us. For us it is a place of democracy.
Our job is to protect democracy there.”
The meeting was attended by more than 3000 party functionaries at the state and district levels. The party has announced that it has 70,000 booth committee members with 12 functionaries for each booth.
The TVK was allotted the whistle as its election symbol on January 23 in the lead-up to the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. The party has also announced that it would compete in all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu and in the 30 seats Pondicherry.
This is the TVK’s first meeting after the December 18 public event where ex-AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan was inducted into the party.