Published Oct 03, 2026 | 1:09 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 03, 2026 | 2:19 PM
DMK president M.K. Stalin and TVK candidate P. Sathyabama.
Synopsis: DMK president MK Stalin’s alleged body-shaming remarks against TVK candidate Sathyabama during a Dharapuram campaign meeting have triggered criticism.
With by-elections scheduled for October 6 in Tamil Nadu’s Dharapuram and Madurantakam constituencies, political parties have intensified their campaigning.
DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin also stepped out to canvass for his party candidate S Suganya on October 2. But all he succeeded in was stoking a controversy over his comments on TVK candidate P Sathyabama’s appearance.
During his speech, which lasted more than 30 minutes, Stalin criticised the TVK government and Chief Minister Vijay on several issues, including law and order. He also spoke about the circumstances that led to the Dharapuram by-election.
Referring to Sathyabama, Stalin asked the crowd what they called her.
He said, “People call her ‘Petti Bama‘. There is another name too, ‘Balti (somersault) Bama‘. I don’t know how she managed to do that with that appearance,” he remarked.
The term ‘Petti Bama‘ has been used by the DMK in its campaign to accuse Sathyabama of switching parties after allegedly accepting money. Sathyabama has denied the allegation.
Just two days earlier, on September 30, Sathyabama had broken down while speaking at a public meeting attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK leader C Joseph Vijay.
She said she had faced severe and relentless cyberbullying, personal insults and obscene verbal attacks simply for being a woman entering politics. She said that for the past two months, she had found it difficult even to look at her mobile phone because of the vulgar messages directed at her.
Stalin’s subsequent remarks have now drawn criticism from TVK leaders and other political figures.
Former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan told South First that such remarks did not make her sad but angry. “They will never change,” she said.
The controversy comes weeks after Stalin felt he was at the receiving end of a gesture by Chief Minister Vijay during the latter’s September 7 Assembly speech.
While discussing Stalin’s detention under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, Vijay referred to the history of the episode and made a gesture towards his chin. This was criticised by several quarters, including Left parties and other parties supporting the TVK.
Stalin subsequently released a nine-minute video addressing the issue. In the video, he said that when Vijay visited his residence after becoming Chief Minister, he had advised him to speak in a manner that did not hurt anyone’s feelings.
Stalin’s remarks about a woman candidate from the rival camp after doling out this advice have sharpened the criticism against him.
The latest controversy follows other statements by senior DMK leaders that have triggered political criticism.
On August 3, Udhayanidhi Stalin spoke at a protest by Cauvery Delta farmers in Thanjavur. A case was subsequently registered over alleged derogatory remarks about Chief Minister Vijay. Udhayanidhi was arrested on August 4 and released the same night.
Similarly, on August 14, DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi, while addressing a public meeting in Chennai, said that people who did not vote for the DMK would not have a “good death”.
These remarks have subsequently featured in TVK’s campaign against the DMK. Vijay has referred to allegations that DMK leaders have made derogatory comments about women, as well as Bharathi’s controversial statement.
The latest remarks by Stalin have now provided another point of attack for the TVK campaign, with critics on social media saying that the DMK played into the hands of its rivals.
Several TVK leaders have criticised Stalin’s remarks.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister KG Arunraj, in a post on X, blamed Stalin for insulting women as well as members of the Scheduled Caste community and demanded a public apology for what he described as a personal attack.
Industries Minister S Keerthana also condemned the remarks, describing them as another low point in Tamil Nadu’s political discourse.
She questioned how such remarks could come from a former Chief Minister and referred to Stalin’s response during the Thoothukudi incident, alleging that he was more interested in making reels than visiting affected people.
Keerthana said that repeatedly making derogatory remarks about women in public forums and attempting to demean their dignity was “absolutely condemnable”. She said the issue was not merely about one candidate but about the dignity and respect every woman deserves.
She called upon women to stand together and said that women in Dharapuram would support “their own Sathyabama Akka” with their vote on October 6.
BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan has also criticised Stalin’s remarks. TVK ministers, including KA Sengottaiyan, CTR Nirmal Kumar, A Rajmohan and others, have demanded that Stalin apologise.
Speaking to South First about the controversy, Tamilisai Soundararajan said, “I don’t know what their mindset is towards women. When I was the state president of BJP Tamil Nadu, they abused me because they could not counter me through their arguments. If we thought it was only party workers doing this, now the leaders themselves, father and son, are speaking this way. And when someone of Stalin’s stature speaks like this, it makes me angry.”
She added that women entering politics already face significant challenges and said that mocking a woman’s appearance cannot be accepted.
“Women entering politics itself is a difficult task. On top of that, for someone at Stalin’s level to mock a woman’s appearance is unacceptable in any way,” she said.
“People say many things about recognising women and empowering them, but they have not progressed in that respect. It is becoming increasingly evident that women are still being pushed backwards,” she added.
She also questioned whether senior leaders were setting an example for their party cadres by making such remarks.
Tamilisai also spoke about the possible emotional impact of the remarks on Sathyabama, particularly in light of the TVK candidate breaking down at the September 30 meeting.
“She will definitely be affected by this. Just two days ago, she cried because of this. Many of us have gone through criticism far worse than this. But she said that she could not bear it and was hurt by what people were writing about her,” Tamilisai said.
“Not every woman who enters politics will have the same mental strength to face everything. Everyone is not the same. Even if I am her political opponent, I know that she has struggled hard to come this far,” she observed.
Tamilisai was scathing in her condemnation of Stalin.
“She (Sathyabhama) has already worked very hard to overcome these things. For a leader, someone who has served as Chief Minister, to speak with such a narrow mindset again is something that cannot be accepted,” she said.
Following the controversy, the TVK legal wing has filed a complaint against MK Stalin with the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer.
The complaint seeks action against Stalin under the Model Code of Conduct, the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998.
The complaint was submitted on October 3 by Aadhav Arjuna, TVK General Secretary for Election Campaign Management.
In the complaint, TVK alleged that Stalin made derogatory and body-shaming remarks targeting Sathyabama while addressing a campaign meeting in the Dharapuram Assembly constituency. The party claimed that Stalin ridiculed her physical appearance while referring to her alleged political shifts.
TVK said the remarks had no connection with Sathyabama’s political position, public record or candidature and instead directly targeted the physical appearance of a woman candidate.
TVK also alleged that derogatory remarks against women had become a recurring issue involving DMK leaders, particularly Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin.
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(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
