Actor turned politician Vijay's visit to Thanthai Periyar's memorial on his birth anniversary sparked a debate about his political leanings.
Published Sep 18, 2024 | 9:31 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 18, 2024 | 12:08 PM
Actor Vijay visits Thanthai Periyar memorial
Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay’s visit to Thanthai Periyar memorial on the late leader’s birth anniversary to pay respect has generated mixed reactions from people across political parties.
On Thanthai Periyar’s birth anniversary, Vijay, who recently launched his party, went to the Periyar Thidal in Chennai on Tuesday, 17 September and paid tributes to Periyar’s statue. This has sparked discussions on whether it is a ‘hint’ of what his political ideology and future moves in politics would be.
Former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, one of the first politicians to comment on it, said that Vijay has paid tributes to a leader’s statue for the first time. Calling it a strategic move, the BJP leader described it a ‘trailer’ for what might come next in Vijay’s political career.
She also pointed out that when individuals form new political parties, the public expects them to present fresh ideologies. But, she claimed the actor’s action suggests an alignment with well-established political philosophies, referring to the Dravidian parties – DMK and AIADMK.
.@tvkvijayhq party leader @actorvijay‘s recent gesture of paying respects to #Periyar has sparked a wave of reactions across political and public spheres.
Former #Telangana Governor @DrTamilisai4BJP weighed in on the matter too. pic.twitter.com/TtUVzdGCjR
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) September 17, 2024
On social media, while some political analysts and the actor’s fans applauded Vijay for honouring Periyar, others disagreed. People who believe in Thanthai Periyar, who was known for his political activism on multiple fronts, shed light on the importance of the Dravidian leader’s principles and saw Vijay’s gesture as a symbol of support for social justice.
However, others expressed criticism, questioning whether Vijay’s gesture was purely symbolic or part of a larger political maneuver . Some also voiced concerns that Vijay’s actions might be a way to gain political mileage ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
While some lauded Vijay’s action, others questioning the timing. In Tamil Nadu, where Periyar’s legacy remains central to Dravidian politics, analysts pointed out that this could be part of a broader strategy.
During the actor and Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) founder’s visit to the memorial, a few DMK supporters enthusiastically took selfies with him.
Sharing his opinion with South First political analyst Raveendran Duraiswamy said, “There is a strong possibility that Vijay is aligning with the DMK’s political ideology. But I have heard some critics say that he might align with BJP to undermine DMK’s vote base.”
Or is this all somehow a part of DMK’s larger plan? Does this mark the beginning of a more active political role or a personal tribute? Only time should tell since the actor hasn’t commented on the matter so far.
(Edited by Neena)
