CHENNAI: Actress Ranjana Nachiyar joined the ruling DMK in the presence of its president and Chief Minister M K Stalin here on Thursday.
Ranjana said she quit Vijay's TVK as it "disrespected" women.
"The TVK leadership is not approachable, and the party leaders don't seem to mind the pain of the cadres.
Women are continuously disrespected in the party, especially by Vijay, who displays an image of my ancestor Rani Velu Nachiyar," Ranjana later told reporters at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK state headquarters here.
Nachiyar has formerly been with the BJP for about eight years and quit the saffron party in February 2025 on the language row, after taking sides with the regional parties in opposing Hindi "imposition" and in following the dual language policy of Tamil and English.
She openly opposed the three-language formula under the National Education Policy, arguing that it risked diluting Tamil Nadu’s linguistic heritage. Framing the issue as one of regional dignity, she maintained that she could not remain in a party that, in her view, failed to adequately acknowledge or respect Tamil sensitivities.
Her resignation from BJP also reflected a deeper sense of political and ideological disconnect. Nachiyar criticised what she saw as an overly centralised approach that did not align with the state’s regional priorities, and expressed unease with the party’s broader positioning on nationalism and identity. She further pointed to concerns about internal dynamics, including the space and respect accorded to women leaders. Taken together, these factors contributed to her decision to step away after several years with the party and explore a different political trajectory
She later joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
(With inputs from PTI)