Chennai: TVK president and Tamil superstar, Vijay, has once again taken on the ruling DMK, and this time over alleged corruption in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).
In a strongly worded statement, Vijay accused the DMK of orchestrating large-scale financial fraud and urged authorities to take stringent action against those responsible.
Referring to recent searches by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Vijay stated that the level of organised corruption exposed in the report suggests it was planned by “highly experienced and cunning minds”.
He went on to claim that “an entire book on corruption” could be written about the DMK’s mismanagement of TASMAC. “From small fishes to whales, a deeper investigation will expose the key players in this scam. The truth must come to light, and those at the top — along with their associates — should be held accountable,” Vijay asserted.
Slamming the DMK’s governance model, he described it as an “empty advertising strategy” designed to mislead the public. “No matter how many crores they spend on propaganda, their corrupt tricks won’t work. The people will push them aside in the 2026 Assembly elections,” he added.
Vijay’s statement comes ahead of TVK’s much-anticipated general council meeting March 28 in Chennai, where the party is expected to pass 23 resolutions- many of which will criticise both the DMK-led state government and the BJP-led Centre.
Party insiders suggest that Vijay’s attacks on both parties are set to escalate further in the coming weeks. His shift in tone was evident in a Women’s Day video message, where, for the first time, he directly criticized the DMK government. This marked a significant departure from his earlier strategy of avoiding direct attacks on political parties.
With his latest remarks on the TASMAC scandal, TVK cadres are reportedly energised, seeing this as a sign of Vijay’s more assertive political approach. His speech at the general council meeting is expected to intensify his criticisms of both the DMK and the BJP. Additionally, TVK is gearing up to hold a booth committee conference as part of its broader political strategy.
It may be recalled that Vijay officially launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) February 2, 2024, positioning it as a party against corruption and divisive politics.
While he chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he has confirmed that TVK will participate in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
August 22, 2024, Vijay unveiled TVK’s flag and song at the party’s headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai. This was followed by TVK’s first major political conference October 27, 2024, in Vikravandi, Villupuram district, which witnessed an estimated three lakh attendees.
At the Vikravandi event, Vijay launched scathing attacks on both the DMK and the BJP, branding the DMK as his political adversary and the BJP as his ideological adversary.
He accused the DMK of being a family-run party that manipulates the Dravidian identity for personal gain while denouncing the BJP for its divisive politics.
The DMK has dismissed Vijay’s allegations, claiming that he was indirectly supporting the BJP.
DMK leaders referred to TVK as the “C team” of the BJP, attempting to downplay its impact.
Despite such criticism, Vijay’s political influence has been steadily growing. His fan club-turned-political organisation, All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), made a strong mark in the 2021 Tamil Nadu local body elections, winning 115 out of the 169 seats it contested.
With Vijay now stepping up his political attacks, all eyes are on TVK’s general council meeting March 28, where he is expected to outline plans for his party’s electoral roadmap for 2026.
IANS
