Vijay makes a splash on Assembly debut: Mimics Stalin, puts DMK on notice

Throughout the address, he repeatedly attacked the previous administration over alleged corruption. “Even now I say this: we will not touch even a single paisa of the people’s money. We will not allow it to be touched. If anyone touches it, we will not spare them. We will not spare those who touched it before either.”

He added that “just as every corruption comes out into the open, every disguise also seems to be falling apart one by one”. The remarks drew loud protests from Opposition benches. Vijay also rejected suggestions that parties now supporting his government had been lured away from the Opposition alliance.

“The CPI(M) says that the decision to support us was taken independently. Likewise, the CPI says that the decision to support us was taken independently. Then where does this claim of ‘we sent them there, we sent them there’ come from? I do not understand,” he said.

Draws a contrast

The CM’s speech repeatedly contrasted the new administration with the former government. Seeking to position his coalition as more representative, Vijay challenged the DMK’s social justice credentials. “Can you please tell us how many ministerial posts you gave to our Scheduled Caste brothers and sisters?”

He then answered his own question. “But in our government, eight ministerial positions have been given to whom? To our Scheduled Caste brothers and sisters. They are all our elder brothers, our younger brothers, our sisters. Dr Ambedkar’s nearly hundred-year-old dream has now been fulfilled,” he said.

Turning to women’s representation, he asked: “Can you tell us how many women you gave ministerial positions to? In our government, we have given ministerial positions to four sisters.”

At one point, after sparring with Opposition members, Vijay reached for a storytelling device familiar to anyone who had attended his film promotion events and recent political rallies. “A little story comes to my mind. Shall I tell it?” he began.

He then narrated the tale of an elderly man shielding his eyes from the sun while searching for someone.

“A child asked him what he was searching for. Nothing, son. They told me your father would be somewhere around here. That’s why I’m looking for him. But I can’t seem to find your father anywhere,” Vijay said, and the Assembly erupted.

Vijay immediately followed it with a disclaimer. “See, even we know how to speak sarcastically, mockingly, and tell unrelated little stories. The elderly man in that story apparently said so. Please don’t misunderstand,” he said, followed by his remarks, evidently, a reference to former Chief Minister M K Stalin. The line gained additional force as Vijay later referred to Kolathur – Stalin’s long-time political base.

“Just for speaking for five minutes (at Kolathur during campaigns), Kolathur itself has become this excited. If I keep speaking further, then what will happen?” he said. The remark drew cheers from treasury benches.

The speech frequently oscillated between governance and political combat. Responding to criticism that he had sought time after assuming office because of difficulties in implementing campaign promises, Vijay said: “On the day I assumed office, I asked for a little time. Why did I ask for time? Because the financial situation is somewhat bad. I said I would gradually correct it and, step by step, implement all the promises I had made.” He accused opponents of twisting that request.

“But it is being portrayed as though I asked for time for some other reason or for someone else.”

Vijay also devoted a substantial portion of his speech to the controversy surrounding the order of the Tamil Thai Vazhthu and the national anthem during the Governor’s address. He argued that the same critics had remained silent when the national anthem and Tamil Thai Vazhthu were performed in a different sequence during an event in August 2021, months after DMK came to power.

“One thing they say, another thing they do. One thing they do, another thing they say. The people are watching all of this,” he said.

By then, most Opposition members had already left the House. But the final act arrived moments later. Vijay referenced a viral gesture once made by Stalin – a raised hand that had become a trend on the internet before the election results came out. “If they had still been here, I would have felt like doing an action for that. Even now we can do it; there is nothing wrong with it. Shall I show you that?”

He then mimicked the gesture, drawing laughter and applause from ruling-party legislators, which was something Stalin did in March, after concluding alliance negotiations and walking toward his car while reporters repeatedly asked whether the talks were over. He raised one hand toward the media, made a brief dismissive or concluding motion, essentially conveying – “Done. Finished. Settled.” In Tamil social media, it quickly acquired a second meaning: “all over”, or “case closed”.