CM Vijay pitches TVK as organic successor to AIADMK, justifies Dharapuram candidate’s change of party

The Chief Minister was consoling TVK candidate Sathyabama, who broke down on stage and alleged that she was being abused to switch from AIADMK to TVK. | Photo credit: SIVA SARAVANAN S

TVK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday remained unrelenting in his zeal to position his party as an organic successor to the AIADMK, repeatedly extolling the leadership acumen of late Chief Ministers Jayalalithaa and MG Ramachandran in dealing with arch-rival DMK.

“A rampant attempt by the current AIADMK leadership to negate the legacy of the iconic leaders by considering a tie-up with a very arch-rival to form the government was what prompted TVK candidate Sathyabama to quit the Dravidian party she served for decades,” he claimed. At a campaign meeting in Dharapuram (reserved), where Ms. Sathyabama was deployed, he sought to counter allegations by opposition parties that she had been bought. She was elected from the constituency on an AIADMK ticket in May this year.Then she resigned her assembly membership and joined the TVK.

The Chief Minister had earlier consoled Ms Sathyabama, who collapsed on stage, alleging that she was being used to switch sides. She claimed that her decision to leave the AIADMK was not because of dislike for the party but because of the mentality of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

“It has been two months since I logged off from social media. The obscene taunts being hurled at me are painful. I entered politics inspired by Amma Jayalalithaa. If I had done something wrong, I would not have come to seek votes with my head held high,” Ms Sathyabama said.

Justifying her decision to join the TVK group, she also thanked Mr. Palaniswami and claimed that she would still have stayed with the party had it not been for his efforts to get closer to the DMK.

In his speech, Mr. Vijay said that due to the “DMK nexus”, the AIADMK general secretary had lost his standing to lead the party and wondered why Mr. Palaniswami was upset when he (Mr. Vijay) spoke about the references to DMK corruption in the Sarkaria Commission report.

The TVK regime followed the late Anna’s principles and provided opportunities to the poor to become MLAs and Ministers. On the other hand, the DMK leadership was still fixated on family hegemony. TVK was now the only party in a position to take on the “evil” DMK, Mr. Vijay said.

Referring to DMK president MKStalin’s expression of gratitude to the voters of Kolathur constituency for not electing him, Mr. Vijay jokingly said that the party would eventually face ignominy in all constituencies.

Describing what he saw as a tacit understanding between the DMK and the AIADMK as a “benami alliance”, Mr Vijay said their destabilizing machinations would never materialize “now that every family in Tamil Nadu has come to consider me as a member”.

The more the opposition disrespects me, the more respect people will have for me, he said.

Listing the achievements in the last four months after taking over, TVK, the CM assured to fulfill the long pending irrigation and drinking water supply projects and infrastructure requirements of Dharapuram constituency with right seriousness.

Getting into interactive mode and joining the large gathering in blowing the whistle (the party’s symbol), Mr. Vijay asked for their commitment to reject the opposition’s “lies” and cast their votes for the TVK candidate.

Published – 30 Sep 2026 20:52 IST