CHENNAI: MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Tuesday strongly defended TVK president Vijay, accused the DMK of engineering MLA resignations through "horse-trading", and asserted that Vijay would become the State's Chief Minister after the next Assembly election.
His interaction with journalists, however, ended abruptly after a heated exchange with reporters near Tirupporur in Chengalpattu district.
Responding to the DMK's criticism of the recent resignations of AIADMK legislators, Vaiko alleged that the ruling party had itself pioneered such political tactics. He claimed the DMK had earlier engineered the resignation of an MLA elected from Cumbum on the spinning-top symbol and had also been behind the resignation of former AIADMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan before he joined the DMK.
Backing the MDMK's alliance with TVK, Vaiko dismissed criticism of Vijay's political credentials and said the actor-turned-politician was well placed to lead the State. He also alleged that the public had rejected what he described as the DMK's "corruption, collection and cutting" style of governance.
Defending Vijay against questions over his political experience, Vaiko said he was "not a child" but a person who had already achieved success in the film industry. Recalling the 2018 Thoothukudi Sterlite police firing, he claimed Vijay was the only political leader who visited the family of a young woman killed in the firing late that night to offer condolences.
Vaiko had visited Kalavakkam near Tirupporur to oversee the removal of invasive seemai karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) trees in compliance with a High Court direction. He was accorded a warm reception by party workers before addressing the media.
The press conference turned confrontational when journalists questioned Vaiko over his criticism of the DMK despite the MDMK's previous alliance with the party. Another reporter asked whether it was appropriate for a veteran leader like him to align with Vijay, whom the reporter described as politically inexperienced.
The exchange escalated after Vaiko questioned the journalists' identities and criticised a reporter from a Tamil daily, alleging unfair coverage. He said legal action would be initiated against the publication and asked party workers to remove the reporter from the venue.
The incident triggered a confrontation between journalists and MDMK cadres, forcing the press conference to be called off midway and creating brief tension at the venue.