Those mocked as unintelligent helped TVK script history, says CM Vijay

Business To Business, Chennai, 1^st June, 2026:   Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday strongly criticized opposition parties, particularly the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), over remarks directed at voters who supported his party in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Vijay's criticism
Addressing a thanksgiving meeting at St. Joseph's College after the election victory of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Vijay rejected claims that people had voted for his party merely because of his popularity as a film star.
According to Vijay, critics had described TVK supporters as "Tharkuris" (a Tamil term implying unintelligent or politically unaware people) and suggested that voters lacked political understanding and were influenced solely by his celebrity status.
He argued that such comments amounted to an insult to the electorate and questioned how the same voters who had previously elected the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) could suddenly be considered politically uninformed when they chose TVK.
Political significance
Vijay's remarks reflect the increasingly sharp political contest in Tamil Nadu following TVK's breakthrough performance in the April 23 Assembly election. By defending the judgment of voters, he sought to counter criticism that his party's success was driven primarily by his film career rather than political support.
Message to supporters
The Chief Minister portrayed TVK's victory as a democratic mandate earned through public support and suggested that dismissing the electorate's decision amounted to disrespecting the people themselves.
The comments are likely to intensify the political debate between TVK and its rivals, particularly the DMK, as the state's political landscape adjusts to the emergence of TVK as a major force in Tamil Nadu politics.