Chennai, April 21 (IANS) Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on Tuesday launched a sharp multi-pronged attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as he addressed a public meeting at YMCA Grounds in Nandanam on the final day of campaigning for the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Positioning himself as a challenger to the state’s entrenched political order, Vijay alleged that both the DMK and AIADMK were effectively aligned with the BJP. “Voting for either DMK or AIADMK is the same as voting for the BJP,” he claimed, adding that the coordinated criticism against him indicated a “hidden alliance” among the established parties.

Referring to M. K. Stalin’s government, Vijay accused it of targeting him for exposing alleged corruption. “What wrong did I do? I only brought your wrongdoing to the public,” he said, questioning why blame was being shifted onto him in connection with the Karur stampede incident. He maintained that he had adhered to police instructions during the event.

Taking a swipe at AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Vijay urged voters in Edappadi constituency to back independent candidate K. Premakumar, whose “TV” symbol, he said, should be seen as a vote for TVK. He also dismissed criticism about his film career, remarking that while he was an actor, he was “not acting in politics” like his rivals.

In a direct appeal to voters, Vijay called for high turnout, citing Puducherry’s near 90 per cent polling as a benchmark for Tamil Nadu. He urged families, especially younger voters, to influence household decisions, invoking his party’s “whistle” symbol as a campaign motif. Dismissing opinion polls, he said the electorate would deliver the “real verdict” on polling day.

Vijay also outlined his governance approach, promising to regularly visit district collectorates to directly hear public grievances. In a pointed prediction, he claimed that the DMK would eventually “fall at the feet” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to retain political relevance after the elections.

Concluding his address, Vijay urged voters to trust him on polling day, promising that while they should “listen to him for one day,” he would “listen to the people every day thereafter,” expressing confidence that victory was within reach.

–IANS

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