CM Vijay hails Dharapuram victory against 'defamatory remarks on women'; Stalin slams ‘temporary win for betrayal’

CM Vijay targeted the DMK, saying the bypoll victory was a vote against “defamatory speech aimed at women”.

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Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay, has won the Dharapuram Assembly bypoll and is leading in Madurantakam as of round 21/27 of counting. TVK candidate P Sathyabama was declared winner from the Dharapuram SC Assembly constituency after securing 66,841 votes, defeating DMK’s Suganya, who polled 57,370 votes, by 9,471 votes.

Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M K Stalin on Friday described the bypolls as a “blatant murder of democracy” in a social media post, calling TVK’s gains an “interim victory for betrayal” and claiming that the “downfall of fake image politics” had begun.

Vijay targeted the DMK over remarks aimed at women, saying the electoral victory was a vote against “defamatory speech targeting women”.

Vijay targets DMK over remarks against women

Vijay’s remarks came amid a controversy over comments made by Stalin during the Dharapuram bypoll campaign. Stalin had referred to TVK candidate P Sathyabama as “Petti Bama” (suitcase Bama). TVK criticised the remark as derogatory and used the controversy to challenge the DMK over its treatment of women candidates.

Stalin calls TVK's win an ‘interim victory for betrayal’

Stalin thanked voters who supported the candidates of the secular progressive alliance led by the DMK in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-elections. He also expressed gratitude to party workers, leaders and alliance partners who campaigned in the two constituencies.

Questioning the need for the bypolls just five months after the Assembly elections, Stalin alleged that the people's mandate had been undermined when two elected legislators resigned and immediately joined the ruling party.

“This was a blatant democratic murder,” he said, arguing that the resignations had necessitated the by-elections.

Stalin alleged that TVK fought the polls with the backing of government authority, financial resources and the police force. He also criticised Vijay's campaign style, accusing the Chief Minister of relying on his cinematic image rather than political experience and party organisation.

Referring to Vijay's campaign activities, including drinking tea, driving a tractor and plucking drumsticks, Stalin said the Chief Minister had spent four days campaigning across the two constituencies because he considered victory essential for his political survival.

He alleged that the ruling party had spent heavily on the campaign, citing the crowds brought in from outside the constituencies, road barricades and claims about election expenditure.

Stalin alleges poll code violations, voter intimidation

Stalin also accused the TVK government of announcing welfare schemes, including an expansion of free travel for women and initiatives named Thaimaaman Thangamothiram and Anna Seer, after the election schedule was announced. He alleged that these announcements violated election conduct rules.

The DMK chief further alleged that money and prizes were distributed to influence voters and claimed that videos and interviews had exposed excessive campaign spending. He also accused the ruling party of spreading misinformation, intimidating opponents through the police and threatening government employees during polling.

Stalin alleged that a 17-year-old was arrested and claimed that voters were warned that their constituencies would not receive government assistance if they did not support the ruling party.

He cited the account of an elderly woman who reportedly told the media that she had been instructed to vote for the DMK's sun symbol but had pressed the whistle symbol associated with TVK.

‘Downfall of fake image politics has begun’

Dismissing TVK's performance as temporary, Stalin said the results represented an “interim victory for betrayal” and claimed that the political image built around Vijay was beginning to unravel.

He argued that the Chief Minister's public persona, which he said was built around the promise of solving problems through brief speeches, had weakened within four months of taking office.

Stalin also pointed to TVK's electoral arrangements, saying the party had joined hands with parties that Vijay had previously criticised. He accused the Chief Minister of focusing his campaign rhetoric on the DMK without being able to diminish the party's influence.

Claiming that votes polled by parties opposing the defecting legislators amounted to a rejection of the government, Stalin said the ruling party had once again been rejected by a majority of voters.

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