Accept their cash, and vote for TVK's whistle, says actor-politician Vijay

"Our vote is our right... No one can buy us out...Our vote is for the whistle (TVK)...Will not believe anyone else and get cheated," actor-politician Vijay took oath, with his followers repeating after him in Salem district of Tamil Nadu. Vijay was referring to the rampant culture of offering illegal cash inducements to voters ahead of the elections. Vijay asked his fans and followers to accept the cash being offered by other parties, and urged them to whistle in their ears, a reference to his party TVK's Whistle symbol.

Responding to the criticism and taunts that he does not step out of his house and does not venture out of his residential locality, Vijay said, "others might see Tamil Nadu as a state... for me, it is my home... eight crore people of this state are all my family." When people underestimate us, we develop an urge to prove ourselves, he told his supporters.

Continuing his attacks on DMK Chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Vijay alleged that the Government authorities are permitting other political parties to campaign in public as per Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs), whereas "Stalin Operating Procedures" were being imposed to restrict TVK's events. The ruling DMK and Vijay's TVK have been engaged in a war of words following the death of 41 attendees at Vijay's election campaign event in Karur in September 2025.

Vijay said that the people of Tamil Nadu had voted for DMK in the 2019 and 2024 Parliamentary polls, 2021 Assembly polls, hoping that the DMK would work for the welfare of the people. Vijay alleged that the DMK was instead running an anti-people government, where the public are not feeling safe. Taking a leaf out of Stalin's campaign where he said "Tamil Nadu would always be out of control for Delhi(BJP)," Vijay hit back saying that Law and Order, Women's safety, Employment opportunities for youth are out of control under the DMK rule. Referring to crimes against women, assault against minors, drug abuse, Vijay questioned the DMK on not appointing a full time Chief for the state's police force.

In several of his recent campaign speeches, it has been observed that Vijay has been directing his criticism towards the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, whereas he has not directly hit out at the Opposition NDA, which comprises the BJP and AIADMK. This had fuelled speculation on Vijay's political stance. Explaining why he targeted only the DMK and not the NDA, Vijay said that the DMK is the incumbent seeking re-election and there was no need to target others who have already been rejected by the people many times.

With barely two months to go for the polls, Vijay has not managed to tie up with any allies. Referring to his earlier remarks about TVK's willingness to share power, Vijay said that his remarks had caused a widespread impact in the state's political landscape. He was hinting at the differences between the ruling DMK and its longstanding ally Congress, over power-sharing. Notably, a section of Congress leaders have been speculating about a possible tie up with Vijay, as the DMK has been hesitant to share power. "For them, an electoral alliance is only until they win the polls... thereafter, all the wealth goes to them alone," Vijay said, in remarks widely seen as targeting the DMK, which is refusing to share power with the Congress.