'Reached out over WhatsApp to...': VCK slams Vijay's TVK as Tamil Nadu govt formation remains stuck in limbo

Tamil Nadu politics latest news | Amid the ongoing deadlock over the Tamil Nadu government formation, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) on Friday criticised the Thalapathy Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for seeking support over WhatsApp instead of the superstar-turned-politician personally reaching out to political leaders to arrive at a majority. 

Despite securing a massive win in the Tamil Nadu assembly polls, TVK has so far been unable to stake a claim to form the government due to a lack of the required numbers to do so. 

VCK General Secretary Sinthanai Selvan said in a post on X (previously Twitter) that whether Vijay has faltered in handling the "extraordinary post-election situation" or if those around him are "leading him astray". 

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"In a scenario where a clear majority to form the government was not secured, he should have acted with utmost caution," Selvan wrote. He added that Vijay should've reached out to VCK leaders personally instead of "falling into the trap of second-rung leaders" if he wants to get the party's support right away. 

"Shouldn't he have openly discussed not falling into the trap of second-rung leaders, and the necessity of preventing the BJP from entering Tamil Nadu through the Governor's route? How are we to understand sending a letter via WhatsApp asking for support and then saying 'respond'?"

The VCK general secretary added that Vijay should've handled the situation with "great magnanimity" to earn the respect and goodwill of all leaders, but the opposite is turning out to be true. 

"But is it right that the very moment the victory news arrived, he revealed arrogance and a vengeful mindset by declaring it the day the era of monarchy has ended? Is there any greater irony than joining hands with the Congress—which bears the burden of dynastic politics through Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and so on into the fifth generation—and then speaking of dynastic politics?"

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He even questioned Vijay and TVK for seeking support from the leftists and VCK without any hesitation after labelling the MK Stalin-led DMK as "an abolished monarchy" and forming an alliance under the DMK's leadership to win polls. 

Selvan further claimed that due to Vijay's charisma and heroic image, some around him are "keeping him confined as a prince, preventing him from stepping out, and exploiting him to settle their personal vendettas against DMK." 

Objecting to TVK leaders claiming that VCK cadres were acting like "sleeper cells" within the party, he wrote, "In the VCK party, only twenty people are with leader Thiruma. Everyone else is our people. There are sleeper cells there too, they say—what kind of political ethics is this?"

He also accused the TVK of reintroducing resort politics in Tamil Nadu by locking up its winning MLAs in a luxury hotel. 

"Mr. Vijay must immediately realize that the wrong approaches and misguided advice from those around him are the very things blocking the path for support to reach him. Sensing the danger in this situation where BJP is attempting to impose Governor's rule by violating all democratic norms, and stopping it to protect Tamil Nadu—that is the challenge before the people," he wrote towards the end of his post.