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Ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly polls next month, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the actor-turned-politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is taking the space of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in the southern state.
Speaking in an interview with ANI, Tagore said that the legendary Tamil star and ex-Chief Minister M G Ramachandran was the "basic mantra" of AIADMK. He said late MGR used to talk against the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) family, and TVK represent the "same ideology". "The space of AIADMK is occupied by TVK. What was the basic mantra of AIADMK? There was a popular star, MG Ramachandran. That star used to talk against DMK. He used to talk about the family of DMK and everything else. And TVK represent the same ideology. That's why both parties look similar," he said. He claimed that the TVK speaks the "same language" with Vijay as a young actor who is using his "popularity" for the benefit of the party. "TVK also speaks the same language. TVK is taking the place of AIADMK. It's replacing the strength of AIADMK. How did the socialists occupy the space of Janata Dal? The same transition is happening in Tamil Nadu ... with a young popular actor, Vijay. With his popularity, (AIADMK) is being replaced," he added. Further, he emphasised that AIADMK General Secretary Edapaddi K Palaniswami is a good organiser but lacks popularity, and hence he is not able to connect with the people. "It means that AIADMK has no popular leader. Edapaddi K Palaniswami is a good organiser. But he is not a popular leader. He is not an imaginative leader. He is not able to connect with the masses. He is with his party structure. He is with his caste but unable to become Pan-Tamil Nadu leader," he said. The Congress MP noted that the AIADMK lost credibility when they contested the 2024 elections separately, but returned to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) within a year. "Their credibility became a big hit. In 2021, they said that from 2024, they will not go with the BJP. And during the 2024 elections, they fought separately. But after that, within one year, they had to take a U-turn. They had to go with the BJP again," he added. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The main electoral contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes Congress, DMDK, and the VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay-led TVK is attempting to turn the state elections into a three-way contest. (ANI)
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