DMK leader downplays actor Vijay's political entry, says 'he is not MGR'

DMK MP and party deputy general secretary A Raja took a swipe at actor Vijay, saying he may try to take the political path of MG Ramachandran (MGR) but insisted, “he is not MGR”. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Raja acknowledged Vijay's cinema appeal but argued that without ideological grounding or leadership within the Dravidian movement, such a political entry may only have a limited impact.

When asked whether the entry of actors into politics could impact DMK’s vote share, Raja estimated a marginal effect of “maybe a 5 to 7 per cent difference” but maintained that such momentum would not last. “MGR was a DMK man and was treasurer of the party. Such an elevation is not a simple joke. His success was due to cinema fifty per cent and being a Dravidian and DMK leader fifty percent,” he said. Referring to other cinema figures who entered politics, he remarked, “Now anyone can lay claim upon Dravidian ideology, but you are not a leader. Even Vijayakanth became Opposition leader while Karunanidhi was alive, but that momentum did not prolong.”

On actor Vijay’s political aspirations and his attempt to follow MGR’s path, Raja said, “Let him do so, but he is not MGR. He may take MGR’s path, but he is not MGR.” He pointed out that MGR had been an MLA, MLC and later DMK treasurer, holding the third most senior position in the party. “I do admit that with cinema fame he did split the party, but you (Vijay) are not MGR,” Raja added.

Raja also lashed out at the AIADMK and its leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) for allying with the BJP, calling it an open invitation for the party to step into Tamil Nadu and weaken the state’s Dravidian foundation. He said Chief Minister MK Stalin’s call was not just to vote for the DMK alliance, but to form a unified opposition to the BJP’s ideology, which he described as “alien to Tamil Nadu for 2,000 years”.

Responding to the AIADMK’s continuous criticism of DMK during its campaign, Raja asserted that while Tamil Nadu may be politically divided, the core question of the election remains whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ideology should be permitted a foothold in the state. “We are not opposing Modi or Amit Shah as individuals, but their ideology which has been alien to us for 2000 years,” he said. Raja added that the BJP’s ideology “will not be accepted” in Tamil Nadu and accused EPS of inviting Modi to the state under the guise of Dravidianism.

Describing Chief Minister MK Stalin’s call to voters, Raja said it was not a plea to support the DMK alone, but an appeal for a united front to oppose the BJP, which had been brought into the state’s political arena by EPS. “So the call made by Chief Minister MK Stalin is not for DMK or for our alliance, but to form a singular, unified alliance to oppose the BJP which has been invited by Edappadi,” he said.

Reacting to EPS’s recent invitation for parties in the DMK-led alliance to join AIADMK, Raja remarked, “When you spread the red carpet for BJP itself, that carpet has been blocked for us.”

On the DMK’s prospects in the 2026 Assembly elections, Raja sounded confident, asserting that the party will return to power with more seats than in 2021. “People are having faith in the DMK and more faith in Chief Minister MK Stalin as a leader. They believe that Tamil language, culture and identity will be protected only by our leader Stalin,” he said. Raja also dismissed the possibility of the AIADMK-BJP alliance succeeding. “That chemistry will not work. In politics the rules of mathematical numbers do not apply. One plus one need not be two. It can become four or even minus one,” he said.

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