Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday used his first major public rally after assuming office to push back against criticism of his attire, attack the DMK's political culture and position the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam as the state's principal political force.
Addressing a Thanksgiving Rally in Tiruchirappalli, Vijay questioned why his choice of wearing suits had become a topic of political debate and said clothing was not a privilege reserved for those in power.
"Now several people are talking about us wearing suits. Why can't we wear a suit? Can only those with power wear suits? There is nothing like that," he told supporters.
Vijay said his clothing carried a message rather than a fashion statement.
"Am I wearing suits in different colours? Only two colours, black and white. It is just to show that Vijay will be black and white in everything. I don't have to say it, but you all know what that black denotes," he said.
The remarks came during a rally organised to thank voters following TVK's maiden Assembly election victory, which propelled the actor-turned-politician to the Chief Minister's office.
The Chief Minister also responded to comparisons between his electoral debut and that of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR.
"They said that even late CM MGR did not secure this much vote share in his very first election. Yet today, you have extended such tremendous support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. I am not comparing myself to MGR; MGR is MGR, but I am your Vijay, who has come to work in the path shown by MGR, Anna and Periyar," he said.
Addressing supporters at the St Joseph's College ground, Vijay thanked voters for backing TVK and described Tiruchirappalli East as a constituency close to his heart despite retaining the Perambur Assembly seat.
"Now, people refer to me as the MLA of the Perambur constituency. That is only in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Election Commission. But as far as I am concerned, the people of the Tiruchirappalli constituency are also very, very close to my heart," he said.
Vijay used the rally to sharpen his attack on the DMK, accusing the party of continuing its criticism despite TVK having been in power for only a few weeks.
"Only a few weeks have passed since I assumed office, yet those who claimed they would remain silent for six months could not remain silent even for six days," he said.
He alleged that the DMK's family-centric politics had contributed to its defeat in the April 23 Assembly election and argued that voters had chosen a different political path.
"By rejecting the two people who had been taking turns deceiving you for so many years, you chose your Vijay, your elder brother, your younger brother, who came to genuinely work for you, and made him not the Chief Minister, but your first servant," he said.
Vijay also rejected allegations of horse-trading levelled against him by political rivals and accused both the DMK and AIADMK of attempting to form the government despite the public verdict.
Without directly naming the AIADMK, he suggested there was little political space left between TVK and the DMK.
"Even now, I say this politically: the contest is only between two parties, one is the DMK and the other is the TVK. There is no role or space for anyone else in between," he said.
Projecting confidence about the future, Vijay said TVK had broken barriers of caste, religion and cash-for-votes politics and promised that his government would remain committed to secularism and the rights of Tamil Nadu.
"The people have made me the first sewak, not Chief Minister," he said.
Expressing confidence in his party's growth, Vijay added, "Today, I am firmly convinced that I will continue to receive your wholehearted support in all the elections to come in the future."
The rally marked Vijay's first major political show of strength since taking office on May 10 after TVK secured 108 seats in the Assembly election and formed the government, signalling the party's arrival as a major force in Tamil Nadu politics.
Source: India Today