Actor-politician Vijay rules out alliance with DMK or BJP

Actor-politician Vijay reaffirmed his fledgling political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s stance of not allying with either the BJP, which is ruling at the Centre, or the DMK, which is ruling Tamil Nadu. “Our party is firm that we will not have an overt or covert alliance with divisive forces. If our party forms an alliance, we will lead it. Our alliance will oppose both DMK and BJP,” said Vijay, at his political outfit’s executive committee meeting. The assembly polls in the Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu are less than 10 months away, and so far Vijay’s party has not firmed up any electoral alliance. An actor for three decades, Vijay is banking on his fan following and the young voters to propel his political journey.

In April this year, the state opposition party AIADMK and the BJP, which rules at the Centre, announced their alliance and vowed to take on the DMK-led alliance, which is looking to win a second term in power.

In 2021, then Leader of Opposition MK Stalin led the DMK to victory, ousting the AIADMK. This would be the second election for MK Stalin, where he is contesting for the Chief Minister’s post. Under Stalin’s leadership, the DMK-led alliance swept the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, while also winning the 2021 Assembly poll with a thumping majority.

While announcing his party resolutions, Vijay accused the BJP of dividing the people of India on religious lines and promoting differences. He expressed confidently that BJP’s tactics would succeed anywhere, but not in Tamil Nadu, which he said is a land of social justice and brotherhood. Vijay added that BJP will not succeed in its attempts to denigrate legacy leaders who have been part of Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. “We are not like DMK or AIADMK that would tie up with the BJP for political gains and selfish reasons,” Vijay stated firmly, affirming his party’s political stance.

Training his guns on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin, Vijay read out the contents of a letter which he said he wrote to Stalin, regarding the controversy and farmers’ protests over the proposed Parandur airport that is meant to come up near Chennai. “As residents and farmers of Parandur have been protesting against the proposed airport, I went and met them on behalf of my party TVK. The very next day after my meeting, your Government issued a statement that the airport would be established without affecting the 1,000 families residing there. Are 1,000 families and 15,000 people so insignificant for you? Aren’t they our people? Are you concerned about people when you are in the opposition?,” Vijay questioned.

“What is the necessity to build an airport after destroying hundreds of acres of agricultural land, massive water bodies, thousands of homes,” Vijay asked in the letter. The actor-politician also quoted the civil aviation minister as having said that Stalin’s DMK government chose the specific Parandur site for the proposed airport. Vijay also asked why the Chief Minister hadn’t met the protesting residents of Parandur. Further, Vijay urged MK Stalin to meet the protesters and farmers of Parandur, and assure them that an airport would not be built there.

“If you don’t meet them and wish to move on from this issue, I myself will bring the protesters (Parandur residents and farmers) to the Secretariat and meet you there. I believe you won’t create such a situation, but if such a situation arises, I am ready to face it.”

We are not against development and airport, only the chosen site is wrong, Vijay said, quoting aviation experts. He also raised concerns that building the entire airport infrastructure on waterbodies would end up flooding Chennai city during the monsoon.