Vijay hit the bull's eye at the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) office-bearers meeting in Mamallapuram on Sunday, stating that his party is strong and self-reliant with the potential to contest the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections solo, regardless of alliance formation.
The sweeping statement brushed away all speculations that arose if Vijay would compromise on electoral decisions, in view of the ongoing CBI investigation into the Karur stampede tragedy and the delay in the release of his last film, Jananayakan, due to censor issues.
Notably, he made clear that he is not a person who would 'yield' to pressure.
The meeting grabbed attention for various reasons, including party general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna stating that TVK has 'sleeper cells' in both DMK and AIADMK.
He also launched a scathing attack on VCK, to which he posted an explanation on his X account later, after facing backlash from VCK cadres.
In the meeting, he had said that VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan should not forget that the DMK is treating him like a 'henchman'. He also questioned why Periyar and Ambedkar statues were not placed in Anna Arivalayam.
He added that it was only Thol Thirumavalavan and 20 other leaders who existed in the party, and most of the cadres were with TVK.
However, in his explanation on X, Aadhav stated that he intended to say that 20 people inside the VCK are completely aligned with the DMK and are working to prevent oppressed people from attaining power, but it has been wrongly interpreted as him saying that there are only 20 people in the VCK.
Aadhav Arjuna was VCK'S Deputy General Secretary before he joined TVK.
Meanwhile, a poorly articulated 'kutty story' by a district secretary at the stage was heavily trolled on social media platforms. Expectations rose high after Vijay nodded 'yes' with glee when the district secretary sought his permission before narrating the story, but only to leave the audience confused later on what the moral of the story actually was.
Significantly, Vijay has seperate fan base for his 'kutty stories' in his audio launch events for being 'motivational' and 'heart to heart'.
Anyhow, it was former AIADMK leader and two-time MLA JCD Prabhakar, who actually gained loud 'whistles' from cadres at the meeting. He had joined TVK this month.
In a quick speech that centred on how Vijay rose as a leader at the 'need of the time', just like former CM MGR, JCD Prabhakar highlighted a few of Vijay's movie dialogues that were timely and of interesting relevance to the existing political scenario.
He recalled a dialogue from Vijay's Aadhi (2006), "Enga ethirpu irukko anga sixer adichu, centre la chair pottu utkaarudhudha namma vazhakame." (It's my habit to hit sixes at places where there is opposition/criticism and take a chair at the center).
He also stated a dialogue from Kuruvi (2008), "namma pechu mattum dha silent ah irukkum aana adi... sara vedi..." (I might talk silently, but will thrash like a firework).
Then, he stated one from Vijay's sports-action blockbuster Ghilli (2004), "Intha area, antha area, intha edam, antha edam, all arealayum aiya Ghilli da!" (Am influential in all areas).
Finally, he also said the most famous "Cup-uh mukiyam Bigilu" (Winning Cup is important, Bigil!) dialogue from the Bigil (2019), desiring that Vijay should secure victory in the upcoming Assembly elections.
With a critical statement from the party's leader, a controversy pulled over by the leader's close aide, a sombre 'kutty story' from a district secretary and a senior leader arousing the hall with punch dialogues, the Sunday meet was nothing short of a two-and-a-half-hour-long movie.
But was it a hit or a flop? People are 'watching'!
