CM Stalin's Indirect Reference to Actor Vijay During Chennai Campaign
In his first, albeit indirect, reference to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader and actor Vijay, Chief Minister M K Stalin posed a pointed question to voters on Saturday. Campaigning in the Perambur constituency for DMK candidate R D Sekar, Stalin asked, "Do you want an MLA who will come running in response to your call and live like one among you, or someone who is new to politics and is staging drama?"
The CM emphasized that he would only say so much on the matter, asserting his commitment to avoiding criticism or low-grade remarks against anyone. This subtle jab came amid heightened political activity in Tamil Nadu as election campaigns intensify across the state.
Stalin and Kejriwal's Joint Roadshow in North Chennai
Earlier in the day, Stalin accompanied Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on a vibrant roadshow through the narrow streets of North Chennai. The two leaders presented a united front, complimenting each other for their steadfast opposition to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.
Stalin introduced Kejriwal to the crowds in Pulianthope as his "dear brother and fighter," highlighting how the AAP leader was jailed in what he described as a fabricated case by the "fascist" BJP government. "He was prevented from becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi for a third term, but he did not give in to their threats and came clean of all baseless allegations," Stalin declared.
Mutual Praise and Policy Inspiration
The camaraderie between the two leaders was evident as they exchanged praises and discussed policy initiatives. Stalin credited Kejriwal for inspiring Tamil Nadu's model school scheme, revealing that he and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi personally visited schools in Delhi to study and implement similar programs in their state.
"Our efforts to improve education here were directly inspired by Kejriwal's initiatives in Delhi," Stalin said, speaking amid cheering crowds and the waving of party flags from all alliance partners, including AAP.
In return, Kejriwal called Stalin an "egoless leader" and extended an invitation for him to visit Delhi again. "He has done tremendous work for every family in Tamil Nadu. It is very rare to find a chief minister like him who is so dedicated to public welfare," Kejriwal remarked.
Sharp Criticism of BJP and NDA
Kejriwal took the opportunity to launch a scathing attack on the BJP and its allies, referring to the NDA as the "New Delhi Alliance." He warned that if the NDA wins in Tamil Nadu, all the welfare schemes introduced by Stalin's government would be halted, drawing parallels to how the BJP government in Delhi stopped his free electricity and water schemes.
"The BJP wants to take control of Tamil Nadu, and they will stop at nothing to achieve this," Kejriwal asserted. He further predicted that the AIADMK would soon be broken into three pieces, stating, "That is how the BJP operates—they divide and conquer."
The joint appearance underscored the strategic alliance between DMK and AAP as they rally against the BJP-led coalition, focusing on issues of governance, welfare schemes, and resistance to what they term as intimidatory politics.
