TIRUCHY: In his first public speech after leading the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to victory in the Assembly elections, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday launched a sharp attack on the DMK and the AIADMK, accusing both parties of attempting to come together to prevent the TVK from forming the government.
Vijay also reiterated his commitment to clean governance. “A corruption-free administration cannot be created overnight. It is not magic. But one day we will achieve it,” he said.
Addressing a thanksgiving meeting for voters at St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School Grounds in Tiruchy, Vijay said, “Today they accuse us of horse-trading. But who was actually trying to join hands secretly?
Those who claimed to oppose each other for years were willing to unite only because they did not want a TVK government. They feared that if this government assumes power, bribery and loot would come to an end.” Without directly naming the parties, Vijay referred to the DMK as an “evil force” and the AIADMK as an “exhausted force”.
Asserting that the election results had transformed Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, Vijay said politics in the state had for decades revolved around caste equations, religious divisions and money distribution during elections. “The people rejected all that by choosing TVK,” he said, adding that the party would continue to oppose caste and religious divisions while ensuring equal governance for all sections of society, protecting the rights of the state, and maintaining respect for alliance partners.
Responding to criticism that TVK’s success was driven by social media influence, Vijay said, “They think people who posted reels on Instagram voted for us and brought us victory. Even if that’s true, we have at least made an entire generation closely follow politics.”
Women’s safety force, Singapen Padai, will be launched within a week: Vijay
“Instead of analysing us from outside, understand what is happening inside your party,” he added.
In an indirect reference to DMK president M K Stalin, Vijay said, “Those who said they would remain silent for the first six months of this new government could not stay silent even for the first six days.” Vijay also objected to TVK voters being labelled “politically immature.”
Responding to criticism on law and order, Vijay said, “You (DMK) left behind a situation where drug culture had entered almost every street and locality. Had the issue been addressed earlier, many problems could have been prevented.
But now they are trying to blame us for the mess they created,” he said. Vijay also said his administration had already initiated measures by appointing efficient police officers. He announced that the government’s proposed “Singapen Padai”, a specialised women’s safety force, would be launched within a week.
Addressing criticism over electricity subsidies, Vijay said the credit for the 100 units of free electricity scheme should go to former CM J Jayalalithaa. Vijay said the government had already taken steps to provide relief to farmers and was working to address financial constraints inherited from the previous administration.
Vijay also spoke about criticisms over his coat-and-suit attire. “Why should wearing a coat and suit become a problem? Are such clothes reserved only for certain sections of society or positions of power?” “Even today, I wear only black and white. Those colours represent two dimensions of human mind,” he said.
