DMK’s Provocative Jab at Vijay and AIADMK Sparks Political Firestorm in Tamil Nadu

The deadly stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur on September 27, 2025, which claimed 41 lives, has fueled a bitter political feud in Tamil Nadu as the 2026 Assembly elections loom. The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has intensified the conflict with a provocative cartoon posted by its IT wing on X, depicting All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and actor-turned-politician Vijay, leader of the TVK, as subservient figures carrying a palanquin with Prime Minister Narendra Modi enthroned. Captioned with the cryptic “IYKYK” (if you know, you know), the cartoon references a line from a classic Tamil song by AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran—“Why would slaves have blood running in their bodies?”—insinuating that EPS and Vijay are beholden to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The DMK’s attack follows the Supreme Court’s approval of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Karur tragedy, as demanded by TVK, with a three-member panel led by former Justice Ajay Rastogi overseeing the inquiry. The stampede, attributed to poor crowd management during Vijay’s delayed convoy, has become a flashpoint, with opposition parties blaming the DMK government for inadequate security. TVK spokesperson Loyola Mani rebuffed the DMK’s allegations of BJP collusion as “baseless,” highlighting the DMK’s own alliance with the BJP from 1999 to 2001. “We have never said we are aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party. In fact, we have always called it our ‘ideological enemy,’” Mani stated, rejecting claims of TVK’s alignment with the BJP.

As Tamil Nadu’s political landscape heats up, speculation about a TVK-AIADMK alliance has gained traction, particularly after TVK flags were spotted at an AIADMK rally led by EPS. While TVK has denied formal talks, its relatively muted criticism of AIADMK—compared to its sharp rejection of DMK as a “political enemy” and BJP as an “ideological enemy”—has fueled rumors. However, AIADMK’s existing alliance with the BJP complicates any potential deal, as TVK risks alienating its base by associating with the BJP indirectly. An AIADMK-TVK partnership would likely require EPS to sever ties with the BJP, a move that could reshape the opposition’s strategy against the DMK but carries significant political risks.

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DMK’s allies, including the Congress and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), have warned Vijay of potential BJP manipulation through the CBI probe. VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan called the inquiry a “trap” to pressure TVK, framing it as a setback for Vijay rather than the DMK government. This narrative aligns with DMK’s strategy to portray itself as a defender of Tamil Nadu’s autonomy against central interference. As the Rastogi panel begins its work, the Karur stampede has transformed into a political lightning rod, with DMK’s cartoon amplifying tensions and testing the opposition’s cohesion.

With the 2026 elections approaching, the DMK’s aggressive posturing seeks to rally its base by framing Vijay and EPS as BJP pawns, leveraging Tamil Nadu’s deep-seated Dravidian identity. Meanwhile, Vijay’s TVK, still carving out its political identity, faces a delicate balancing act to maintain its anti-BJP stance while navigating alliance prospects. The Karur tragedy has thus become more than a human catastrophe—it’s a catalyst for a high-stakes political showdown that could redefine Tamil Nadu’s electoral battle lines.

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