In campaign after Karur stampede, Vijay calls DMK leaders looters

In his first public outreach since the Karur stampede in which 41 people died in September, actor-politician Vijay resumed his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) campaign from Kancheepuram district on Sunday, primarily attacking the ruling DMK government of Tamil Nadu, ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.

In his first public outreach since the Karur stampede in which 41 people died in September, actor-politician Vijay resumed his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) campaign from Kancheepuram district on Sunday, primarily attacking the ruling DMK government of Tamil Nadu, ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.

Vijay addressed people and party workers inside at a private college, which was restricted to about 1,500 people who were given passes. (TVK)

Vijay addressed people and party workers inside at a private college, which was restricted to about 1,500 people who were given passes. He drew on the legacies of DMK founder C N Annadurai and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran (MGR) to vow that his politics is about people’s welfare. He attacked the ruling DMK government for forgetting the ideals of Annadurai and instead making “looting” as their principle.

“Kancheepuram is the birthplace of Anna. When MGR founded his party (ADMK, later renamed the AIADMK by breaking away from the DMK), he featured Anna’s face on the party flag, because Anna had been the guiding light,” Vijay said. “But those who later captured the party founded by Anna have acted in ways that need no explanation. The people of Tamil Nadu know what has been happening…They lied and made us vote for them and grabbed power. Now they act as if they are doing good by playing a big drama. We will question them.” He also reminded people that he began his political journey last year by fighting for the residents and farmers of Parandur who are affected by the DMK government’s proposed greenfield airport here in Kancheepuram. “After a tragedy, we are beginning again in Kancheepuram,” Vijay said.

He said that personally the TVK has no problem with the DMK. “They hate us, but we do not hate them,” Vijay said.

He responded to recent criticism of DMK leaders, who alleged that TVK has no ideology and Vijay is only himself with Annadurai’s tenets. “We are following the path shown by Anna, who said makkalidam sel (reach out to the people). But those who run the party today have deviated from Anna’s principles,”

Vijay listed the causes the TVK has stood by such as opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) before the party was launched, moving the Supreme Court against amendments to the Waqf Act, demanding a caste census, opposing the special intensive revision (SIR) and advocating that education be moved to the state list. He also criticised the DMK over deteriorating law and order and increasing sexual crimes against women.

Before unveiling the TVK’s manifesto for next year’s elections, Vijay shared its vision for the people of Tamil Nadu — every family must have permanent housing, a graduate, a motorcycle and if necessary a car and people should go to government hospitals without fear and farmers should be protected.

“We are only here to do good for people. I have no other motive. That is why we have clearly declared our ideological and political enemies, and we continue to stand opposed to them,” Vijay said.

While launching the TVK, he had positioned it as the political and ideological enemy of the DMK and BJP.