Mallai C E Sathya, the sidelined deputy general secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), broke his silence on Monday, July 14, in a heartfelt statement titled “Breaking My Silence,” responding to party chief Vaiko’s accusation of betrayal. Sathya, a 32-year loyalist, expressed deep anguish, stating he would “prefer a bottle of poison” over being branded a traitor, a label he called deeply wounding and unfit for Vaiko’s stature.

Vaiko, on July 10, accused Sathya of anti-party activities, alleging he provided content to four overseas critics posting against him on social media, likening Sathya’s actions to the betrayal of LTTE leader Prabhakaran by Mathaiya. Sathya, in a tearful interview with Puthiya Thalaimurai on July 14, denied these claims, asserting his commitment to MDMK’s ideology and insisting he was not behind the party’s internal strife. “I’ve been sleepless for five days, worried about society’s perception,” he said, vowing to prove his integrity.

The rift, simmering since April 2025 when Vaiko mediated a truce between Sathya and his son, Durai Vaiko, over Durai’s elevation as principal secretary, reignited when Sathya’s name and photo were omitted from MDMK’s Poonamallee meeting banners on July 10. Sathya accused Vaiko of sacrificing his political career to promote Durai, stating, “To call my honest political life betrayal for your son scars me deeply.”

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Despite the pain, Sathya acknowledged Vaiko’s paternal motives, saying, “As a father, he did right by his son, but as a leader, he made a mistake.” He vowed to emerge from this “ring of fire” and continue his political journey for Tamil rights, emphasizing his warrior-like resilience instilled by Vaiko.

The controversy has exposed deeper tensions within MDMK, with some cadres and observers on X noting Vaiko’s history of losing loyalists, potentially weakening the party’s cohesion ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. No official response from Vaiko or Durai Vaiko has been reported since Sathya’s statement.

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