CUDDALORE: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) general secretary and Villupuram MP D Ravikumar said actor Vijay’s recent public gatherings were not surprising, but questioned their political impact.
He made the remarks while inspecting preparations for the VCK’s state party recognition celebration scheduled to take place on May 6 in Chidambaram. Stage construction and pandal arrangements were underway at the venue.
“This recognition for a political party formed by a member of the oppressed community and based on Ambedkar’s ideology is unprecedented in Tamil Nadu’s 75-year electoral history. We are conducting this event to honour our leader Thol Thirumavalavan who made this possible. Leaders from alliance parties, including K S Alagiri and K Balakrishnan, will also participate and deliver special addresses,” he said.
When asked about actor Vijay’s political outreach, Ravikumar said, “The crowd at actor Vijay’s events is not surprising. But whether those crowds will convert into votes will only be known after the elections. In our view, it is unlikely. We believe Vijay will not have a major impact on Tamil Nadu politics. Politics in Tamil Nadu is ideology-based. Whichever party it is, they must clarify their ideology. There is no clarity about Vijay's ideology. Only after testing it in elections can we assess his political position.”
Regarding political alliances, he said, “We have decided on our alliance based on the ideological direction we want for Tamil Nadu. Our leader Thirumavalavan has already made it clear that we will continue in the DMK-led alliance. This is to protect Tamil Nadu from Sanathan forces. The 2026 assembly election is very important for the future of the state. We believe the DMK-led alliance will win and form the government again.”
He also commented on AIADMK’s alliance with BJP. “During the last elections, we saw how AIADMK’s vote bank declined. Even AIADMK leaders admitted it was due to their alliance with the BJP. The same trend may continue now as well. They are currently stuck in an incompatible alliance with the BJP and are making such statements to divert attention,” he said.
During the inspection, Ravikumar, Tiruporur MLA S S Balaji and Cheyyur MLA Panaiyur Babu climbed the stage structure when a step gave way, causing the two MLAs and some party functionaries to fall. Ravikumar was caught by nearby persons, and no injuries were reported.