The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and main opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday slammed actor-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay for "copying" their political ideologies for his party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam.
"These are all our policies, he is copying... whatever he says is what we had already said and which we are following," DMK leader TKS Elangovan was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.
During a rally in Chenni's Vikravandi, Vijay spelled his party TVK's vision as 'Secular Social Justice", which he said was adopted from Dravidian icon Periyar's policy on social justice and women's empowerment. He hit out at ruling DMK for "misleading people under the guise of Dravidian ideology". He accused the party of "cheating people" under the ideology.
"Here one group singing the same song. Applying specific colour to whoever comes for politics. They are cheating people and they are doing underground dealing. In the name of the Dravidian Model running anti people's government cheating the people," the 50-year-old actor stated.
"TVK's first ideological enemy is who troubles this country with divisive politics. The second is in the name of the Dravidian model and using the names of Thanthai Periyar and Peraringanar Anna cheat Tamil Nadu people which is one selfish family group (Dynasty)," he added.
He also took a jibe at MK Stalin's family saying, "One family is looting the state" through "underhand dealing".
Actor Vijay had announced his political party TVK in February this year, following which he unveiled the party flag in August. In September, the Election Commission officially registered his party and on Sunday, October 27, he held his first public conference in Tamil Nadu. The actor announced that he would be leaving cinema for politics.
'He Is Copying, Mixing Ideologies Of All Parties': DMK, AIADMK
DMK leader TKS Elangovan, on the other hand, accused Vijay of copying his party's policies. "These are all our policies, he is copying...whatever he says is what we had already said and which we are following," Elangovan told PTI.
"This is the first conference and let us see, we have seen many parties. DMK leaders went to jail fighting for people's cause and though the party had lost several elections, it continued to be strong," the DMK leader added.
Elangovan also said that Vijay's party leaders would not have the same level of commitment and loyalty as DMK party leaders who went to jail for people's cause.
"The DMK was built thus, fighting for people's issues, whereas Vijay's party aspires to be in power in 2026, immediately after entering politics. TVK leaders would not fight for people by going to jail like the DMK leaders. That is the difference between DMK and other parties...we are strong, we work for the people, we are for the people," he said.
Meanwhile, AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said Vijay had mixed the exisiting ideologies of all political parties in Tamil Nadu to form his party's
"TVK's ideology is a mix of ideology of all parties and old wine in new bottle...a cocktail ideology taken from all political parties in Tamil Nadu," Sathyan said.
What BJP Said About Vijay's TVK Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader H Raja said Vijay's party might split the votes of Dravidian parties, which could weaken the ruling DMK in the state.
"I hope Mr Vijay would help me by speaking on Dravidian stock (ideology) and divide those votes," he said.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan congratulated TVK on its debut conference and said that the actor-turned-politician's party is pitted against 'Udhaya,' apparently hinting at DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was recently appointed Deputy CM .