- 4 weeks ago
A panel discussion reviews Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's address in the Legislative Assembly and the political confrontation between TVK and DMK. Senior journalist Sandhya Ravishankar notes that the Chief Minister is shaping Tamil Nadu politics into a bipolar contest between DMK and TVK while pointing out unresolved issues concerning power cuts, milk production, and TASMAC. Political analyst Muralikrishnan Chinnadurai argues that the speech leaned on rhetoric and failed to address current governance challenges, funding allocations, and law and order issues. TVK spokesperson Sasirekha defends the address, stating, 'As per TVK government and as per our CM Vijay sir, it's the law is supreme.' She asserts that the Chief Minister highlighted DMK's past governance records and financial scandals, adding that preparations are underway for the upcoming monsoon under the public works department minister. The panel also examines the electoral impact of the speech on Gen Z and women voters across Tamil Nadu.
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00:00So you've heard from both sides there, from Chief Minister Vijay and the leader of opposition.
00:03Let me open this up.
00:05Joining us on this broadcast is Sashi Rekha, TVK spokesperson,
00:08Mr. Muralikrishnan Chinadurai, political analyst, and Sandhya Ravi Shankar, senior journalist.
00:13Sandhya, I'd like to begin with you.
00:15What did you think of the Chief Minister's speech?
00:17Many are deeming it as far too filmy, that it had too many punch dialogues,
00:22and that this is not the place, the assembly is not the place for this kind of a speech.
00:25What did you think?
00:26Definitely, the punch dialogues are sort of, you know, going a little overboard
00:32as far as the TVK is concerned in the assembly.
00:36But there is a very important message in what the Chief Minister spoke today,
00:43and that is that he is trying to make the politics of Tamil Nadu a bipolar politic
00:49between DMK and the TVK.
00:52So the AI, DMK, and the other political parties that are currently present in the Tamil Nadu
00:58political landscape, all of them are sort of being ignored or pushed to the background
01:04by Vijay.
01:05And I think this is his political strategy playing out in the assembly session.
01:12I do agree with the LOP that he did not really answer most of the questions that he had been
01:18asked.
01:18What would you have liked him to address? What were the issues that you feel you should have spoken about?
01:23Well, frankly, there are problems in terms of power cuts in Tamil Nadu.
01:28There are problems with milk production.
01:31We are not getting enough milk in Tamil Nadu.
01:34And of course, the TASMAC issue is an evergreen issue that has not been resolved yet.
01:38So, a lot of, you know, questions that have gone unanswered.
01:43And it would be great if the TVK dialed back a little bit on the rhetoric and, you know,
01:50focused a little more on governance.
01:52Let's take that to the TVK.
01:54Sashireka, ma'am, was this, you know, a whole lot of filmy drama and nothing more?
01:59Could this have had more substance than the Chief Minister's Sponge Dogs, which I know are a hit?
02:03I know it's a super hit and that's clear in the viewership.
02:06But beyond that, was there a need for more material, for more substance, ma'am?
02:11Good evening, all.
02:13No, this is the elected government.
02:16We got 108 seats as given by the Tamil Nadu public in general.
02:21Then how it goes to be a dramatic scene or a punch?
02:24Not at all like that.
02:26No, no.
02:27So, the mandate is very different, ma'am.
02:29Yes, you've got the mandate.
02:30The Chief Minister is there for a reason.
02:32He is the Chief Minister for a reason.
02:33But the question is about the speech itself.
02:37No, not like that.
02:38As per TVK government and as per our CM Vijay, sir, it's a law is supreme.
02:43As always, we feel like that.
02:44That is, law is supreme.
02:46All are equal before law, whether it might be DMK or all other oppositions or whatever it might be.
02:52We are facing the things in the Assembly.
02:55That is what the LOP, Mr. Uday Nidia, has raised the questions three days back.
03:00That is what our Honorable Chief Minister expressed the things today at Assembly is all.
03:06What had been happening here before, from the day one, that is.
03:11Beyond these things, what CM Vijay sir spoke, I think and I realized, I strongly believe that we have to
03:18spoke about the corrections of DMKs.
03:20It's from the, after Pererinder Anna's sad demise, that the founder of DMK, Pererinder Anna started the DMK,
03:27as per the policies of duty, dignity and discipline.
03:32That is, that should be changed over by the Karuna Nidhi spirit after Anna's sad demise, 1969.
03:38No, no, no, no.
03:39So, on the issue of Karuna, one second, one second.
03:41There's a reason that you've been voted to power, because people understood that these were the problems.
03:46Let me finish, let me finish.
03:47We have to start the things about DMKs now.
03:50Let's start about the day one, that is after Pererinder Anna's sad demise, 1969.
03:55And that is from Sakarya committee and from the Viranam project and from the 2G issues and all the things
04:02we have to speak.
04:02That is what is fiery speech expressed today.
04:05DMK is always, Pererinder Anna's duty, dignity, discipline is turned to, after in the periods of Karuna Nidhi and Stalin
04:11and now in the LOP of Uday Nidhi.
04:13That is changed due to commission, collection, corruption.
04:16All will be, all the peoples, all the people, general public in Tamil Nadu has accepted these things.
04:20That is what happened in last five years, 21 to 26, they have given video, video, video, as to turn
04:26into commission, collection, corruption.
04:28That is what CM's fiery speech expressed.
04:30Any punches that, so what, nothing wrong, nothing wrong in between.
04:34We have to speak about the things, using punches wrong, anything, anything wrong is that?
04:38Okay, Mr. Murali Krishna, your view that, you know, the Chief Minister is exposing DMK's crimes,
04:44so there's nothing wrong with a few punch dialogues been throwing in them?
04:50See, actually, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, you know, disrespected the assembly and disrespected the people of Tamil Nadu
04:59today.
05:01He, the most of the, you know, speeches are very rhetoric, you know, fancy and dubious.
05:08That's what, you know, we need to see in that way, because it is not a thing which is happening
05:17on 1976 or thing.
05:18This is a 2026 which is on demand for grant, which is happening on 2026.
05:24The responsible Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu should address the real-time issue of what is currently, you know, currently
05:35happening in Tamil Nadu,
05:36how he is going to mitigate, what is the financial conditions, how they are allocating the funds to the, to
05:42mitigate these kind of things, you know,
05:44whatever the things, LOPA and EPS, whoever tries in the assembly, he is, must, he is, and he must be
05:54responsible to answer those questions,
05:56because they are also people of, you know, they are also people of, people of, representative as well.
06:02Not only Chief Minister Vijay, because of Chief Minister, he is not solely representative of people.
06:06No, no, but one second, sir, what were the issues the DMK raised?
06:08What were the issues the DMK raised to the assembly?
06:10They raised law and order?
06:12They were, they were, they were, they were, they were, not only, I am not talking about only DMK,
06:18I am talking about the people, those who are in the assembly raised against the Chief Minister, raised against the
06:24current government.
06:25I am talking about all, all law and order problems.
06:28You know, in the, in the city, Chennai city and nearby city, we can count.
06:32Sir, that the Chief Minister did speak on, he spoke on crime, he spoke on law and order.
06:36It is not spoken out, it is not spoken out, it is not spoken out, hold me, hold, hold on,
06:40hold on a second.
06:41It is not spoken out, because we can count, you know, only, I am talking about only the Chennai and
06:49Chennai,
06:49nearby Chennai cities around Chennai, we can count the days when the murder, murders or any anti-social element
06:56doesn't happen in the, in and around of Chennai city, okay, we can count it, we can count it.
07:02That is the situation of, real situation right now.
07:04The Chief Minister must address, from that point of view, not only the social, you know,
07:11this kind of anti-social element activities, and he must adhere what he spoke before the election,
07:18what he spoke before the election, and what he delivered today.
07:22He need to compare both statements of his own.
07:26Okay, why, okay.
07:26I am not talking about any of this.
07:27I am talking about, he needs to, he needs to compare.
07:32Come back to 2026, sir.
07:34I got your point.
07:39Let me speak.
07:40Let me speak to you.
07:41Yeah, go ahead.
07:42Am I missing something?
07:44This is, this is what I express DMK as, this is the diversion tactics.
07:52That is what, Mr. Murali, right, I'm right.
07:54If I'm right, he's, he's also doing the same thing, tactics, politics says.
07:58Chief Minister Vijay, sir, is holding the home, home department.
08:02No, no, no.
08:02There is no second opinion.
08:03I, I don't have, I don't have any intention to divulge.
08:06Let me finish your allegations, sir.
08:08I don't have, I don't have.
08:09Mr. Murali, Mr. Murali, let me finish about your allegations.
08:12Let me finish about your allegations.
08:14Let me, let me, let me, let me, before, before you mention me, see, see, let me clear this
08:23one, right?
08:24Yes.
08:24Okay.
08:25I don't have any intention.
08:27I don't have any intention.
08:28I don't have any intention to have a diverse tactics like what did CM did today in the assembly,
08:35right?
08:36He only took the diversion tactics.
08:39He only, I know, escaped.
08:41He took the entire narrative as an escapism.
08:45That is what I can say.
08:47I don't have any intention to take, to divert.
08:50We are talking about this current assembly demand, you know, demand for the grant of 2026
08:56to 2027.
08:58We can talk about that.
08:59He took back to Sarkarya Commission.
09:02Let's, let, let me ask, there are three volumes of Sarkarya Commission.
09:07How, whether, can we ask, can we sit and debate about, Sandhya, I think you have finished
09:11your questions.
09:12This is the time for me, I think.
09:14This is the time for me.
09:15Excuse me.
09:17Excuse me.
09:17This is the time for me.
09:19Let me finish and let me give the explanation about this.
09:21Sashir, come on.
09:22Go.
09:22Yes.
09:23Udayanidhi has challenged on day before yesterday and on Friday, Thursday, I think that is what
09:28CM is telling the stories, past histories of DMK.
09:31That DMK has no guts to speak about the violations.
09:35DMK has no guts to speak about the scams and all.
09:38That is what he is telling about the, he is expressing about the histories, what had
09:42been happened from, after Anna's demise, from the, during, from the past leader, Mr.
09:49Karuna Nidhi and Stalin.
09:50That is what he is expressing.
09:51Why not jailed that?
09:52We are the responsible person.
09:53Why not jailed that?
09:53Will you please keep quiet, sir?
09:55Sir, will you, let me allow it.
09:56Let me finish, sir.
09:57Will you please allow me to, please, sir?
10:00No, I think, I think, let, let Sashir, come on, sir.
10:03Yes, Murali Krishna, sir.
10:04Just hold on.
10:05Let Sashir, come on, I'm finished.
10:06But I think the point he's making, ma'am, is Jailalitha.
10:08Jailalitha was convicted.
10:10It's always, a guilty mind is always being restless.
10:14That is what DMK is doing.
10:15And other, and other peoples are also, based on the DMK supporters, telling the same thing.
10:20Again, and I'm telling, a guilty mind is always being restless.
10:23That is what DMK is doing.
10:25And DMK carers and workers and supporters are doing the same thing again and again.
10:29Whatever it may, what about Ponmudi?
10:30What about Sendhil Balaji?
10:32All allegations.
10:32Mrs. Kanimuri.
10:33All allegations.
10:35All allegations.
10:36Kanimuri has been acquitted.
10:37Look, Ponmudi case is convicted.
10:39Ponmudi comes, came to wind up.
10:41He is begging the...
10:42Kanimuri is acquitted.
10:43Raja is acquitted.
10:44Sendhil Balaji, investigation is underway.
10:46No conviction.
10:47Ponmudi, what about Mr. Ponmudi?
10:49Okay, what?
10:49Mr. Ponmudi.
10:51His case is almost finished.
10:52He is begging to the...
10:54No, but it's in the courts.
10:55He is telling, I am old.
10:57My wife is also so aged.
11:00Will you please do something for me?
11:01That is what, in this way, Mr. Ponmudi is begging.
11:04So, Mr. Selva Kanabudi is also there.
11:06Mr. MP, MP of DMK, former AADMK person.
11:09That is what things are a scam.
11:11Many scandals and many corrupted peoples are again...
11:15Most of the peoples are accumulated in DMK only.
11:17That is what I'm saying.
11:18DMK has no guts to say about scandals.
11:21That is what CM has expressed from the Sarkaria Commission,
11:23from the Veeranam, from the other things,
11:26and the party fund, and the illicit party fund,
11:28and the Tosmak scandals, and about all those things.
11:31And today's K.N. Nehru scam is also already...
11:34He is involved in ED.
11:35ED has given so many hundreds of pages of papers.
11:39They have to file the allegations about K.N. Nehru.
11:42What about Eva Velu?
11:43What about Anita Radhakrishnan?
11:44What about Mr. Durai Murugan?
11:45What about Thangam Tenarisu?
11:47What about I.Periya Sammi?
11:48This much of scandals.
11:49Ma'am, you have listed a number of names.
11:51I agree.
11:52There are allegations.
11:53There are allegations.
11:54There are allegations.
11:55There are allegations against them.
11:56Give Sandhya time now.
11:57Sandhya.
11:58See, Josephine.
11:58Akita, only one thing.
11:59Only one thing I want to express.
12:01Just hold on, ma'am.
12:01I'll come back to you.
12:02Let Sandhya speak.
12:03Let Sandhya.
12:04No, no.
12:05If I can just come in.
12:07Yeah, please.
12:08Shashireka, ma'am,
12:10I mean, she's a veteran politician, of course.
12:14But my, as a citizen of, I mean, a resident of Tamil Nadu, someone who is, you know, wondering
12:25what is going to come this, in the coming monsoon, is my city going to be flooded?
12:31Is my home going to be flooded?
12:32We haven't heard anything about that.
12:34And the chief minister holds that portfolio.
12:36We haven't heard anything about all the various special initiatives that he has promised, the
12:42poverty alleviation and rural indebtedness portfolio.
12:45Also, these are portfolios that the CM holds.
12:48And, you know, frankly, all of this, you know, DMK versus TVK, the rhetoric is fantastic.
12:55I mean, it's a lot of fun.
12:58It's entertainment.
12:59It's entertainment.
13:00But it does not belong inside the assembly.
13:04It belongs outside.
13:06You know, hold a public meeting or let the chief minister do a televised address and, you
13:11know, make all these allegations.
13:12We don't really care.
13:13But you are wasting taxpayers' money standing, you know, spending hours in the assembly talking
13:19about another party and talking about something that happened in the 19, you know, late 1960s.
13:25I really think there needs to be a little more responsibility on the part of the government.
13:30You guys are no longer campaigning.
13:33You are in the seat of power.
13:35Do you want to respond to that?
13:37Yes.
13:38My learned friend Sandhya's question is I accept those things.
13:41We are the responsible persons for this government.
13:43We are holding the government in 2026.
13:46As per my learned friend Sandhya's question, that is for, again, we are facing the monsoon
13:50within one or two months.
13:52You know, we are planned.
13:53Already the team has been announced.
13:55The team is headed by our public works department minister, Mr. Adhav Arjuna.
13:59We are ready to face the monsoon and everything.
14:01But the question is whether that should have been, you know, that's just one example of
14:05the issues, the civic issues, the people issues that maybe should have figured in the speech
14:10of the chief minister.
14:11Yes, of course.
14:12You guys, please try to understand.
14:14We are the only 100 days baby only.
14:17100 days baby only.
14:19Today, the issue is based on the issue at Assembly is based on the thing that the LOP has made
14:26a challenge on that day.
14:27That is what we are doing the things.
14:29And again, also nearly 18,990 rupees has been allocated to this home department and police
14:35department and fire service departments also.
14:38Nearly 19,000 crores of fund is allocated to that.
14:43And for in future, we don't want to do that kind of 36 custodial debts have been arrived
14:49has been happened in DMK's period.
14:53We don't want to do such kind of things.
14:55I'm glad to hear that, ma'am, because the question right now is whether that kind of political
14:59rhetoric is all that we're seeing in the Assembly.
15:01Sandeem, my final question to you is, yes, while, you know, there were issues that you've
15:05highlighted that maybe should have figured in the Chief Minister's address, was he just
15:09playing to the galleries?
15:10You know, he's got the views.
15:11Everyone's talking about his speech.
15:13It's a big hit, clearly, among his fan base.
15:15The people in Tamil Nadu were enjoying it.
15:17They've made reels out of his speech.
15:19So ultimately, is the mission accomplished?
15:21I definitely think politically his mission has been accomplished.
15:25He is speaking to his core vote bank, which is the Gen Z audience, the 90s kids, as
15:32they call themselves here in Tamil Nadu.
15:33And also, the women voters, who are, you know, very, very firmly, loyally with Vijay.
15:41Yeah.
15:41Sashireka, ma'am, you don't agree.
15:43Yeah.
15:44One of our policies, this is a women welfare government, you know.
15:47We are taking care of women also.
15:49Why?
15:49Because in the DMK, in the past DMK regions and also in the LOP statements, you know,
15:54you know the things what have been happening in last week, I think, fortnightly, 15 days
15:57back, Udainiti is always using, not only Udainiti and his cadres and workers are also using
16:02abusive languages, derogatory comments, abusive and cheap comments against women, you know.
16:07That is what we are telling.
16:07And that's an issue that I will not tread into.
16:11I'm already facing a 100-year-old case in that, so I'm not going to get into that.
16:16I'm going to stay clear of it, sir.
16:18I'm going to stay clear of it.
16:20I don't have that kind of money, so I'll wrap this up.
16:23But on that note, we'll listen in also to what the Chief Minister said on the issue.
16:27Thank you, Sashire Kaman.
16:28Thank you, Sandhya.
16:29And thank you, Mr. Murali Krishna, for joining us.