Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 1 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Monday lambasted the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government led by MK Stalin, accusing his predecessor of allowing the drug crisis to spiral out of control and failing to ensure the safety of women.
Emphasising a firm commitment to secularism, social justice, and equality, Vijay declared that his government would remain steadfast, contrasting his resolve with what he described as the “wavering” under the leadership of the former CM.
Adressing a public meeting in Tiruchirappalli, he also hit back at the DMK for their criticism of his law-and-order record, stating that his opponents are responsible for the severe state of affairs they now seek to blame him for.
“The DMK and many others keep taking turns criticising us, saying that law and order are not good and that this or that is not functioning properly. I want to ask just one thing: you call it a ‘model government,’ but what exactly did you leave behind? Without sparing a single town or street, you allowed the drug culture to spread everywhere. It is rampant today. You could have controlled it in its early stages. If you had done so, would we have ended up in a situation where so many girls and women had to suffer or lose their lives?” he said.
“After doing all that, they are now shifting the blame onto me. There will never be any wavering like Mr Stalin’s. There can be no compromise on the principle of secularism. We will never give up the rights of the State. We will never surrender our rights over river waters. We will never, under any circumstances, compromise on social justice, equal justice, and equality,” Vijay said.
Adressing the criticism over his attire in the Assembly, the TVK Chief questioned if only those in “power and the dominant forces” were allowed to wear coats and suits. He highlighted that he often dons black and white as a reflection of the human mind’s balance of light and dark sides.
“Many people are talking about me wearing a coat. Why? Aren’t we allowed to wear a coat and a suit? Should only those in power and the dominant forces be the ones wearing coats and suits? These two colours reflect the two sides of the human mind, and I don’t want to dress in fancy colours,” he said.
“I did not come into politics to mislead or deceive the people with false promises. I came into politics to stand by your side and work for you,” he said
He also made a bold declaration, stating that the state’s political future is now a binary contest between Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with no possibility of outside influence.
By emphasising that there is “no role or space” for anyone else, the TVK Chief’s remarks could be seen as a pointed remark to the AIADMK, signalling an effort to marginalise the party that has historically anchored one side of Tamil Nadu’s long-standing duopoly.
Vijay said, “Even now, I say this politically: the contest is only between two parties, one is the DMK and the other is the TVK. There is no role or space for anyone else in between.”
Highlighting the massive electoral support his party received in its debut, the CM said it is unprecedented.
“They said that even late CM MGR did not secure this much vote share in his very first election. Yet today, you have extended such tremendous support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. I am not comparing myself to M.G.R. MGR is MGR, but I am your Vijay, who has come to work in the path shown by MGR, Anna, and Periyar,” he told the crowd.
His assertions came during a public rally in Tiruchirappalli, where he thanked the people for choosing Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and shifting away from the DMK-AIADMK duopoly.
He took a jibe at political opponents, noting that while they had said that they would observe for the first six months, they couldn’t stay silent for six days.
Reflecting on the election results, Vijay framed his victory as a rejection of traditional power dynamics in the state.
“Only a few weeks have passed since I assumed office, yet those who claimed they would remain silent for six months could not remain silent even for six days. By rejecting the two people who had been taking turns deceiving you for so many years, you chose your Vijay, your elder brother, your younger brother, who came to genuinely work for you, and made him not the Chief Minister, but your first servant,” he said.
Reassuring the people of Tiruchirappalli East, where he had won from in the Assembly Elections but later resigned and retained his Perambur constituency, he emphasised that he has a personal connection to the place.
“Now, people refer to me as the MLA of the Perambur constituency. That is only in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Election Commission. But as far as I am concerned, the people of the Tiruchirappalli constituency are also very, very close to my heart,” he said.
“My special greetings and my heartfelt thanks to all the people of the Tiruchirappalli East constituency,” said the CM.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were held across the state in a single phase on April 23. During the vote counting held on May 4, Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam created a major political milestone by securing 108 seats and forming the government.
On May 10, Vijay took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, marking a major political shift in the state and ending the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in state politics. (ANI)
Related reading
