Chennai: Film superstar-turned-politician Joseph ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay recorded a fairytale victory in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly election, with his two-year-old Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerging as the single-largest party with 108 seats, pushing state heavyweights DMK and AIADMK to a distant second and third, respectively.
However, since TVK fell 10 short of the majority mark, Vijay had to seek support from other parties. After days of tension and uncertainty, Vijay was able to satisfy the Governor that he had the requisite support to form the government.
He did pass the floor test, but not many are convinced that the ‘coalition’ government — with outside support from Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and IUML – will be able to last the distance.
Among the doubters is senior DMK leader Anitha Radhakrishnan.
The Tiruchendur MLA launched a sharp attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay and his government, claiming the administration won’t even last six months.
Radhakrishnan, in fact, predicted that DMK boss and previous CM M K Stalin will return at the helm soon.
The MLA also challenged senior TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna — who won the Villivakkam seat — to resign from there and contest against him in Tiruchendur.
“Only four more months this government will survive. There is one person called Aadhav Arjuna. If you have guts, resign your MLA position, I will also do it. Let’s face off in Tiruchendur. This is our town. We will defeat anyone,” Radhakrishnan said at a party event.
Radhakrishnan defended Stalin, who lost from his stronghold Kolathur to VS Babu, a disgruntled ex-DMK leader who had switched to TVK.
“We want our ‘thalaivar’ (leader) MK Stalin to contest in Trichy. Stalin changed Kolathur as Singapore,” Radhakrishnan said, calling the voters “worthless”.
“Thalaivar is the next chief minister. After four or six months our leader will become chief minister,” Radhakrishnan claimed.
Neither Vijay nor TVK or Arjuna has responded to Radhakrishnan’s remarks.
