Vijay cautiously resumes political activities amid mounting pressure

CHENNAI: Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay, still reeling from the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives, has cautiously resumed his political activities from his Panaiyur residence.

With most of his party functionaries in hiding over arrest and subsequent legal battle, the political novice at the helm of the two-year-old outfit faces mounting challenges from all quarters -- the ruling DMK and its allies, the AIADMK-BJP bloc seeking to woo him, and the continuing legal scrutiny surrounding the tragedy.

Despite his mass appeal, the media-shy Vijay finds himself caught in a political quagmire, struggling to regain his footing. The coming months will test whether the 51-year-old popular hero on the silver screen possesses the strategy, resolve, and resources to survive Tamil Nadu's charged political arena.

Nearly ten days after the fatal stampede during his roadshow in Karur, Vijay is learnt to have reached out to some of the victims' families via video calls to convey his condolences. However, the political greenhorn on Dravidian soil now finds himself without a functioning second line of leadership, as most of his senior aides -- including party general secretary 'Bussy' Anand and joint general secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar -- have gone underground, fearing arrest over the September 27 tragedy that jolted the state's political conscience and drew national attention.

Amidst the crisis, TVK's general secretary (Election Management), Aadhav Arjuna, left the state after stoking yet another fresh controversy by posting an inflammatory post on X that attracted serious legal implications.

The ill-fated incident and episodes unfolded after it had undeniably placed TN's most popular actor-turned-politician at a serious disadvantage. Vijay now stands entangled in legal complexities and has been reprimanded by the Madras High Court for what it termed ‘abandoning the victims’.

Seizing the opportunity, strategists in the BJP and its ally, the AIADMK, are leaving no stone unturned to capitalise on both his popularity and vulnerability to draw him into their fold against their common rival, the DMK, in the 2026 Assembly elections. In fact, some of the former AIADMK ministers openly called Vijay to join their alliance to escape the present situation.

Now Vijay finds himself between the devil and the deep sea. He must take on the DMK and its allies head-on while simultaneously dealing with the AIADMK-BJP combine, extending tacit overtures for reasons best known among political observers.

Adding to his woes are the legal and organisational setbacks emanating from the Karur incident, which continue to haunt his fledgling party. His delayed response and failure to take moral responsibility for the tragedy have further dented his image among the public.

Meanwhile, Anand's attempt to disown responsibility for the Karur event -- by shifting blame onto district secretary VP Mathiyazhagan while seeking anticipatory bail -- has demoralised the cadre and exposed the trust deficit within the party's ranks.

Political analysts say the best course for Vijay is to confront the DMK while standing firm on his earlier declaration that the BJP remains the TVK's ideological adversary. Aligning with the AIADMK-led NDA, they warn, could jeopardise his long-term political ambitions.

Though his fanbase remains steadfast, analysts argue he has lost considerable goodwill among ordinary voters for appearing to desert the victims during their moment of crisis. The contradictory statements from his lieutenants have only underscored the party's hollow structure.

Former MP KC Palaniswamy observed that Vijay should focus on facing the legal case and consolidating anti-BJP and anti-AIADMK forces to position himself as a credible alternative to the DMK-led front. "If he joins the BJP-AIADMK alliance and accepts Palaniswami as the chief ministerial face, his political future will suffer, " he warned.

Political critic Priyan Srinivasan echoed the view, remarking that Vijay's plea to transfer the probe to a central agency "amounts to surrendering to the BJP, which is known to exploit such agencies for political ends."

"He should face the DMK government and the SIT, without compromising on his anti-BJP stance," he added.