In a significant move signaling a shift toward populist politics, TVK president Vijay on Sunday unveiled an ambitious vision aimed at transforming household economics across Tamil Nadu. During his first public address since the September 27 Karur stampede, the actor-turned-politician declared his commitment to ensuring every family in the state owns at least a motorcycle, possesses a permanent house, and has one member with a stable income.
Vision for Household Prosperity
The announcement came during an indoor meeting attended by approximately 2,000 cadres in Sunguvarchathiram, located in Kancheepuram district. The event, held at a college campus, marked Vijay's return to public speaking after the tragic Karur incident that claimed 41 lives.
"Our election manifesto will dwell in detail on the measures we would take to achieve this," Vijay assured the gathered supporters. While he refrained from announcing specific implementation schemes, his strong emphasis on household-level economic upliftment clearly indicates a populist push as TVK prepares for its inaugural assembly election battle in 2026.
Broader Development Agenda
Expanding beyond his core household welfare promises, Vijay outlined a comprehensive development framework for Tamil Nadu. He stressed the urgent need to expand employment opportunities and introduce education reforms specifically designed to enhance youth employability.
The TVK leader also highlighted several critical areas requiring immediate government attention, including improving the quality of government hospitals, strengthening the industrial sector, and prioritizing flood prevention measures across the state.
On law and order, Vijay took a firm stance, declaring, "Maintaining law and order is also a key focus area. There should not be a repeat of incidents such as the Kovai gangrape or the Anna University sexual assault case."
Demonstrating his approach to policy-making, Vijay emphasized that welfare schemes should be designed based on direct inputs from various stakeholder groups including fishermen, workers, weavers, government employees, and teachers.
Addressing potential skepticism about his promises, Vijay asserted, "Unlike others, deceiving people with empty promises is not my style. These will be implemented."
DMK's Strong Counterattack
The ruling DMK party launched a sharp criticism against Vijay following his speech. DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan questioned why the TVK president remained silent about the Karur stampede tragedy that occurred during his party's rally.
Elangovan challenged Vijay's political credentials, stating he was "neither aware of DMK's history nor the principles of its founder C N Annadurai." He highlighted the sacrifices made by Dravidian movement leaders, asking pointedly, "Anna, Kalaignar, and Stalin protested for the people and went to prison. Will Vijay go to prison even once?"
Responding to Vijay's criticism of illegal sand mining under DMK rule, Elangovan redirected attention to internal issues within TVK. "TVK functionaries are complaining that money is obtained for party posts. On Saturday, a woman TVK functionary attempted suicide with the same complaint. Let him address those first," Elangovan countered.
The DMK spokesperson directly blamed Vijay for the Karur tragedy, alleging, "Vijay was the sole reason for the Karur tragedy by coming late. Let him explain the reason for his delay. He doesn't talk about it since he knows that it was his fault."
Elangovan concluded with a serious political allegation, claiming that Vijay was merely "echoing BJP's script" and acting on the advice of the saffron party, while questioning his silence on alleged vote theft during the ongoing special intensive revision exercise.
