Chennai: Founder president of Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) Vijay identified the ruling DMK in the State as its political rival and the BJP as the ideological opponent, expressing the hope that the nascent party would sweep the 2026 Assembly elections and agreeing to share power with the allies who might enter into a coalition with the party for contesting the polls.
While the party’s objectives, principles and goals, read out at the well-attended maiden conference held at V Salai village near Vikravandi in Villupuram district on Sunday, sounded similar to the avowed ideas of the Dravidian movement, Vijay himself declared Periyar E.V. Ramasamy as the first leading light of the party that has adopted the adage from Tirukural, ‘Pirapokkum ella uyirkkum’ (all living being are equal) as its guiding principle.
Apart from not following the ‘no god’ ideology of Periyar, the party would adhere to his other principles, particularly on women’s right, women’s education and social justice, he said his party’s would be committed to upholding secularism and go by the ‘Ondre Kulam, Oruvane Thevan’ maxim of C.N. Annadurai and treating all religions with equal respect and reverence.
In his nearly 45 minute address to his followers — around 7 lakh of them had flocked to the meeting venue since early morning while several lakhs of them were watching the event on television — Vijay stressed on the abolition of corruption and graft as one of his major agenda in politics and took a clear stand against NEET, the medical college admission examination that has been the bone of contention in the State.
The death of Anitha of Ariyalur district, who could not get admission in medical college despite scoring high marks affected him like the passing away of his sister Vidhya had an impact on him, he said, adding that his principle was to ensure everything for everyone.
Other than Periyar, the three other leaders he mentioned as beacons of the party were K. Kamaraj, eulogising him for his revolutionary educational and industrial policies for the State, B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, for his social justice and anti-caste principles and two women freedom fighters Velu Nachiayar and Anjalai Ammal. The TVK was the first party to declare two women as their leading lights, he said.
Making it clear that he was advocating an ‘alterative politics,’ he said he had come into politics not with an aim to loot but in public interest. Since the present rulers were wearing several masks and playing divisive politics driving a wedge between people in the name of ‘minority’ and ‘majority,’ he wanted to play people’s politics and devise schemes for the people.
He was not naming anyone in particular because he was in politics not to promote hatred but to play decent politics and referred to the trolls against him and the labelling done on social media. He said the colour of his flag was maroon and yellow and urged the trolls not to paint it in any other hue for he would not make any compromise on his principles, making a veiled reference to the allegation that he was a Hindutva plant.
Accusing the DMK of having a secret pact with the BJP and hoodwinking the people through its open declarations on principles and policies, he said he had taken the plunge into politics because he did not want to be selfish by enjoying the fruits of his labour.
Recalling his initial days in cinema, he said snide remarks were made on his looks, lack of talent, lack of screen presence and such things but he managed to overcome all criticism and become a top actor and then evolve as a responsible man.
Then when he announced his entry into politics he was denigrated as a ‘koothadi’ (show man) through it was great actors like M G Ramachandran in Tamil Nadu and N T Ramarao in Andhra Pradesh, who left a lasting impression in politics despite being mocked with the same demeaning ‘koothadi’ sobriquet when they came to politics from the celluloid world.
He went on to explain the importance of a ‘koothadi’ in society as playing a role in a show or a cinema entailed the actor doing so many positive things, espousing intellectual ideas and depiction of human feelings and life, all in a cheerful manner.
Opening his speech with a metaphor of a child grabbing a snake without knowing what it was, he said he had come to politics in the same fashion. But now that he was here, he was here to stay and there would be no looking back, he said.
Narrating a short story from ancient Tamil literature of a young boy going to war despite the misgivings of elders, he asked his followers to check out what happened in the end by reading the story themselves, suggesting that he was here to win the elections.
