Nowhere in his speech did Vijay mention oppressed communities or the recent sanitary workers’ protests across Tamil Nadu, even though their representatives had met him at his residence.
Published Aug 21, 2025 | 6:59 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 21, 2025 | 6:59 PM
Vijay declared that TVK’s single guiding principle is that the BJP is its ideological enemy and the DMK its political rival in Tamil Nadu.
Synopsis: The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam began its second state conference in Madurai on Thursday, with party president Vijay announcing that the party would contest all 234 constituencies in the 2026 Assembly elections without alliances, declaring himself the face of the campaign. In his speech, Vijay sharply attacked the BJP as “fascist” and the DMK as “corrupt”, while also criticising the AIADMK for betraying the legacy of MG Ramachandran.
The second state conference of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) began in Madurai on Thursday, 21 August, with party president Vijay declaring that the party would not ally either with the “direct slave alliance” or with the so-called “secular” corruption alliance.
He further announced that in the 2026 Assembly elections, he would himself be the party’s face in all 234 constituencies and asserted that Tamil Nadu would witness a historic political transformation, similar to the landmark shifts of 1967 and 1977.
In his leadership speech, Vijay, for the first time, criticised the AIADMK sharply without directly naming it. He asserted that there would never be any alliance with the “fascist BJP”, and accused “Stalin uncle’s rule” of presiding over a collapse in law and order.
“A lion is always unique. When it roars once, the echo carries for eight kilometres. It hunts only for survival, never for entertainment. Even in hunger, it never touches what is lifeless or rotten. A lion does not touch anything easily, and once it does, it never lets go,” he said.
“I did not get the opportunity to interact with MGR. But like MGR, my elder brother Captain Vijayakanth, who shared my dreams, gave me the chance to be close to him.”
Vijay stressed that the voice heard in the conference was not his alone, but the collective voice of the Tamil people.
“Earlier, some people asked how I would start a party. Now, they ask how I will capture power,” he said.
“They used to wonder how someone from a film shooting would enter politics. Now they ask how gatherings will turn into votes. This gathering is not just about votes, but about building the route to form the next government.”
The conference, held at Parapathi in Madurai, opened with an inaugural address by TVK general secretary N Anand. Other senior leaders including Ctr Nirmal Kumar, retired IRS officer and policy propaganda secretary Arunraj, and election wing secretary Aadhav Arjuna also spoke.
Vijay declared that TVK’s single guiding principle is that the BJP is its ideological enemy and the DMK its political rival in Tamil Nadu.
“We are not a party that enters opportunistic alliances for underground benefits. With the support of Tamils across the world, why should we ally directly or indirectly with the fascist BJP? Are we some world class corrupt party to do that?” he asked.
He accused the BJP of betraying Tamil Nadu by not giving even a single MP seat in the Lok Sabha elections.
“For the sake of minor electoral arithmetic, DMK and BJP maintain a hidden relationship. When in opposition, DMK says ‘Go Modi,’ but in power, they say ‘Welcome Modi.’ This is their secret understanding,” he said.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vijay asked whether his governance was meant to serve the people or to conspire against Muslim citizens.
He accused the BJP of running a “minority rule” government enslaved to the RSS, and alleged that Mr Modi was planning to enjoy a “luxury ride till 2029.”
He added that regardless of what guise the BJP takes, their “tricks will not work in Tamil Nadu.” He argued that the BJP’s mismatched alliance is only strengthening the DMK’s coalition.
Turning his attention to the two leading Dravidian parties in the state, Vijay directly addressed Chief Minister MK Stalin: “Stalin uncle, what uncle, it’s a very wrong uncle!”
He asserted that in 2026, the contest would be between TVK and the DMK. “The dreams of parties that hope to escape with shortcuts will not succeed,” he warned.
He went on to ask: “In your rule, is there safety for women, law and order, justice, and corruption free governance? Giving ₹1,000 to women is not enough. What about their safety?”
He accused the DMK of deceiving government employees, teachers, farmers, and fishermen.
“Did they fulfil what they promised?” he asked, declaring that the people would send the DMK government home in 2026.
For long, Vijay had avoided speaking about the AIADMK, leading to criticism that he was indirectly aligned with them. On Thursday, for the first time, he criticised the party without naming it directly.
Recalling former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran’s political dominance, Vijay said: “As long as MGR was alive, no one could dream of the Chief Minister’s seat. But look at the state of the party he founded today. Loyal cadres are suffering silently, unable to reveal the truth.”
Outlining TVK’s political goals, Vijay said his government would ensure special care for girl children, women, the elderly, youth, farmers, workers, weavers, fishermen, the destitute, persons with disabilities, and transgender persons. “Those who trust us will be given a share in power and governance.”
“I enjoy people, I respect people, I worship people. In 2026, in all 234 constituencies, it will be Vijay’s symbol that will stand before the people.”
But neither Vijay nor the party mentioned the recent caste honour killing of Kavin Selva Ganesh in Nellai, drawing criticism about his position.
Many expected him to address it in this conference, but he confined himself only to general comments on “law and order”, leaving room for fresh criticism.
It is also notable that nowhere in his speech did Vijay mention oppressed communities or the recent sanitary workers’ protests across Tamil Nadu, even though their representatives had met him at his residence.
In his first conference, Vijay had mocked the phrase “Fascism or Payasam?” sparking debate. But in this conference, he explicitly attacked the BJP as “fascist BJP”, directly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and even spoke against the BJP’s parent body, the RSS, an unusually sharp stance that raised many eyebrows.
However, he ignored issues such as the alleged vote theft across India, the SIR, the 130th Amendment Bill, and several other nationally debated matters.
On the subject of 2026 alliances, which many eagerly anticipated, Vijay maintained suspense till the end, refusing to reveal any details.
As usual, he returned to his familiar talking points: sharing power, the DMK government’s law and order failures, corruption, Katchatheevu, and the NEET exam before leaving the venue.
Meanwhile, resolutions against caste honour killings and several other issues were expected to be passed at the conference. But due to the large crowd, the organising committee announced that resolutions would be released separately.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
