It is very wrong 'Stalin uncle': TVK’s Vijay positions self as alternative to Tamil Nadu chief minister

MADURAI: TVK chief Vijay on Thursday positioned himself as the alternative to "Stalin uncle" saying the 2026 assembly election would be a straight fight between his party and DMK. In a fiery 34-minute speech at TVK's second state conference at Parapathi, Madurai, Vijay accused DMK of hypocrisy. "You ask women to call you appa (father), but there is no safety for women themselves," he said addressing Stalin, before asking the crowd if DMK had fulfilled its promises. As they shouted "no," he said, "Stalin uncle, hear the noise of the people."On DMK's approach to BJP, Vijay accused the ruling party of shifting positions. "When in opposition, they flew black balloons against Modi. Now, as the ruling party, they welcome him. Whenever ED raids take place, they rush to Delhi and the raids fade away. Stalin uncle, what uncle? It is very wrong uncle," Vijay said, and the gathered cadres burst into laughter. The TVK chief also posed pointed questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether he had come to power for the third time "to do good for the people or to plot something against the Muslim community". He pressed Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu island, withdraw NEET and resolve the plight of "around 800 fishermen" arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. He accused BJP of hiding facts about the Keeladi excavations and depending on "alliance partners without real people power" to extend its rule till 2029. Without naming AIADMK, Vijay said BJP was using the party once nurtured by M G Ramachandran as a "backdoor to enter Tamil Nadu". TVK meet turnout indicates youth's joblessness: SeemanNTK chief Seeman sharpened his attack on both DMK and TVK, questioning their political positions and accusing them of selective politics. Seeman dismissed the notion that destroying DMK could be a party's core plank. "If you are going to do the same politics as DMK and AIADMK, why should TVK exist? Will we see Jayalalithaa or EPS projected again in the same manner tomorrow," he asked. On TVK's Madurai conference, Seeman said the early arrival of thousands of cadres only revealed the depth of youth unemployment in TN. He questioned TVK's stance against hereditary politics, referring to Vijay's silence on Congress despite its Nehru-Gandhi lineage. "Honesty demands calling out every party that practises dynasty politics," he said. Seeman said DMK cannot claim credibility by opposing BJP only when it suits them. "When they were in alliance with BJP, they had no objection to policies or even the use of Sanskrit-based terms in Parliament. Why raise these issues now," he asked.