R. ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, JUNE 28
Tamil Nadu’s political confrontation escalated on Sunday with Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin launching a blistering counterattack on Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, declaring that the people of the State were no longer searching for political leaders but for the governance they once enjoyed.
The remarks came days after a charged debate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, where Vijay had mocked Udhayanidhi by referring to his search for his “appa”—DMK president M.K. Stalin—during the Chief Minister’s maiden reply to the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address. The exchange had triggered protests and a walkout by DMK legislators, reflecting the sharpening rivalry between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the Opposition.
- DMK leader turns Chief Minister Vijay’s Assembly jibe on its head, alleging that the State has lost its governance, law and order and administrative focus
- Accuses the ruling TVK of political theatrics, selective action against opponents and attempting to undermine flagship welfare schemes launched by the previous DMK government
- Remarks come days after a stormy Assembly session marked by sharp exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches, signalling an increasingly combative political climate
- Calls upon DMK cadres to unite against what he describes as ‘anti-people’ policies as the battle for public perception gathers momentum.
Addressing a wedding function in Pudukkottai, Udhayanidhi sought to reverse the political narrative.
“Tamil Nadu once had governance. Today, the people of the State have begun searching for where it has gone,” he said.
Taking aim at the functioning of the new government, he alleged that the administration was preoccupied with targeting the DMK while embracing political defectors.
He claimed that those branded as corrupt suddenly became “pure forces” after joining the ruling establishment, while investigative agencies were selectively deployed against Opposition leaders.
Launching a direct attack on the conduct of the Legislative Assembly, Udhayanidhi accused the Chief Minister of prioritising optics over administration.
“It makes us wonder whether this is an Assembly, a cinema theatre, or a shooting spot,” he remarked, alleging that the Chief Minister appeared more concerned about camera angles and visual presentation than addressing governance issues.
Speaking later at another function in Orathanadu in Thanjavur district, the DMK leader alleged that the public was grappling with growing hardships, including shortages of electricity and water, besides deteriorating law and order.
He also defended the previous DMK government’s flagship welfare programmes, asserting that initiatives such as the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai and Puthumai Penn schemes continued to enjoy overwhelming public support.
According to Udhayanidhi, the present government was finding it difficult to discontinue these schemes because of their popularity among beneficiaries.
Calling for organisational unity, he urged DMK workers to remain vigilant and collectively resist what he termed the government’s “anti-people activities.”
The latest political salvo comes against the backdrop of an increasingly confrontational atmosphere in the Assembly, where Chief Minister Vijay has defended his government’s performance while accusing the previous DMK regime of corruption and administrative failures. The exchanges signal that the battle between the ruling TVK and the Opposition DMK is steadily moving from the Assembly floor to the public arena, with governance, welfare delivery and accountability emerging as the central themes of Tamil Nadu’s evolving political discourse.
