2026 election is a battle between ‘theeya sakthi’ DMK and ‘thooya sakthi’ TVK: Vijay

ERODE: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the DMK govt in Tamil Nadu, stating the 2026 assembly election would be a battle between “theeya sakthi (evil force) DMK” and “thooya sakthi (pure force) TVK.”

Addressing a public meeting at Vijayamangalam near Perundurai in Erode district, Vijay said late AIADMK stalwarts M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa would repeatedly describe the DMK as an “evil force”. “I used to wonder why they were so harshly on DMK. Today, I understand the reason, and I will repeat what they said,” he said. While Vijay has referred to MGR on earlier occasions, this was the first time he invoked Jayalalithaa in his speech.




Continuing his attempt to align himself with the legacy of MGR and C N Annadurai, Vijay said no one had the right to prevent him from associating with the two leaders.

At the same time, he made an indirect attack on AIADMK, saying he would not criticise parties that were “not in the electoral battlefield”. “I will not speak about those who are not even in the field. I cannot speak about you just because you want me to,” he said.

Unlike his recent speech in Puducherry, Vijay refrained from attacking BJP, indirectly referring to it only once when he said TVK cadres were clear about who their ideological enemy was. He chose not to speak on the Thiruparankundram Karthigai deepam row or the proposed changes to MGNREGA.

Training his guns on DMK, Vijay questioned the ruling party’s claims on housing and higher education. “When I say everyone should have a house, DMK claims housing has already been provided to all. Do all of you here own a house?” he asked the gathering. Similarly, he challenged the govt’s assertion that higher education had reached everyone.

Vijay alleged a conspiracy to drive a wedge between him and his fans. “They forget that my bond with the people is more than 30 years old. Despite all conspiracies, the people will stand with me,” he said.

He criticised DMK for not expanding the Avinashi–Athikadavu water project to benefit three districts and praised former minister K A Sengottaiyan, who organised the meeting, calling him a major strength for TVK. Sengottaiyan, in turn, hailed Vijay as “Puratchi Thalapathy” and claimed TVK would win all 234 assembly seats.

This was Vijay’s first full-fledged public meeting in Tamil Nadu after the Karur stampede incident. The event was held under strict conditions imposed by authorities to ensure public safety. At one point, Vijay paused his speech and cautioned a youth who attempted to climb on a structure in the venue.