Chennai: Tamil actor Vijay took on the state’s ruling DMK in his first political speech at the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally, saying one family is looting the state through underhand dealing. The mega meet of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam earlier today, marked his formal launch into politics.”They do underground dealing and allege Facism, to cheat minorities… In the name of Dravidian model you are cheating people,” he said. He also took a tacit dig at the BJP. “Hate politics is our enemy… divisive politics and hatred is our enemy… i will maintain political decorum and political decency… this crowd is not for cash but for a cause… There is no looking back,” he added.”There is a group that has been creating divisions within society. Those who create divisions are our first enemy. Those who claim to uphold Dravidian ideology but are exploiting Tamil Nadu as a family enterprise are our next rivals. The BJP is our ideological opponent while the DMK is our political adversary,” said Vijay addressing a massive gathering in Villupuram district’s Vikravandi.The entry of the 50-year-old star comes amid a political vacuum in the bipolar state. The Opposition AIADMK is yet to recover from the death of party icon and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The actor made his aim clear.”I am not here as extra luggage, I want to be a primary force in Tamil Nadu…,” added Vijay, who had just confessed that he once did not think it necessary to enter politics. “Earlier I thought why politics. But isn’t that selfish to think about myself?” he had said. The superstar also announced that his party would contest all 234 seats in the 2026 assembly elections in the state. He also made it clear that he was not averse to power sharing. His party, he said, would adopt Dravidian icon Periyar’s policy on social justice and women’s empowerment. But there was a rider – “We will not take Periyar’s ‘No god’ stand, we are against nobody’s faith”. The other icons of his party, he said, were Kamaraj, NR Ambedkar, freedom fighter Velu Nachiar and revolutionary Anjalai Ammal women icons.
