CHENNAI: In a veiled attack on actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president C Joseph Vijay, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Monday asked Perambur voters whether they preferred a representative who works consistently for the constituency or “outsiders who come and stage a drama”. This is the first instance of the CM attacking Vijay, even though he did so without naming him, even after the TVK chief, Vijay, launched taunts such as 'CM uncle' or 'CM sir'.
Stalin's remarks, made while campaigning in Perambur for DMK candidate RD Sekar, are seen as significant. The remarks are seen not just as criticism of Vijay's alleged inability to fulfil the duties of an MLA, but also as a kind of recognition of him as a potential threat to the ruling party candidate's victory in that segment.
Without naming Vijay, Stalin maintained that personal criticism was not in line with his political approach and said he would refrain from making direct attacks.
Since launching his campaign on March 31, Stalin has largely avoided targeting Vijay and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) coordinator Seeman, focusing instead on Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government, choosing his political opponent carefully.
In the larger context, the DMK president's remarks seem to make clear the TVK's possible electoral impact against the ruling party, though Arivalayam has never officially acknowledged the actor as a potential threat.
Vijay, who is also contesting from the Tiruchy East constituency, has said that he would visit the constituency at least once a month if elected and would remain easily accessible to the public whenever needed.