Battle lines clear: AIADMK, BJP train guns on actor-politician Vijay over 'corruption' remark

CHENNAI: A day after TVK president Vijay called the AIADMK ‘corrupt’, leaders of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) launched a scathing attack on the actor-politician.While former AIADMK minister Sellur K Raju dismissed TVK saying ‘Pannayar politics’ (feudalistic politics) will not work, former BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan called Vijay a ‘zero’ in politics.AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaranhitout at Vijay alleging that selling movie tickets at exorbitant prices was also corruption. AIADMK treasurer Dindigul C Srinivasan said the attack was only a beginning and warned a lot more was to come. The coordinated attack has come a day after AIADMK IT wing said in a statement that Vijay displayed ‘narcissistic behaviour’ and his politics was ‘dangerous.’ Sellur K Raju told reporters in Madurai that Vijay’s speeches were “mere hype’ (summa buildup)” and TVK lacked the strength to take on AIADMK. He said TVK was just a “special show” which may not last long and said the real fight was between the DMK and the AIADMK. He said TVK’s claim that a survey has shown Vijay’s widespread support base was a “hollow claim”.Tamilisai Soundararajan called Vijay a “zero” in politics. “He (Vijay) claims as if he sacrificed his acting career to enter politics. This only shows he lacks experience. Even I entered politics sacrificing my career as doctor while an IPS officer joined BJP sacrificing his career in police deptartment,” she said. Vijay’s criticism of NDA would have no impact on the alliance, she added.Dhinakaran also came down heavily on Vijay. “Selling a Rs 150 ticket for Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 also amounts to corruption,” he said.“Let him first come out of his Pannaiyar mindset, meet the media, and learn what is happening in the outside world,” he said. Several other senior leaders, including Dindigul C Srinivasan, also trained their guns on the actor.TVK functionaries, however, dismissed the attack saying the criticism only showed the opposition parties were ‘rattled’ by Vijay.