Vijay-Stalin spar over Veeramani case as Tamil Nadu bypoll battle heats up
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C Joseph Vijay and DMK president M K Stalin traded sharp barbs on Friday, with the R Veeramani POCSO case emerging as a fresh flashpoint between the two leaders ahead of the October 6 Madurantakam Assembly bypoll.
Addressing a campaign meeting in Madurantakam, Vijay questioned Stalin's response to the case involving granite businessman R Veeramani and asked the former Chief Minister to “open your mouth” on the matter. Vijay alleged that the case had been buried during the previous DMK regime and questioned why action had not been taken earlier.
The renewed political exchange comes after Stalin said on Thursday that no instruction had been issued by the DMK government to protect Veeramani or anyone else in the case.
He said everyone responsible should face the law and receive the maximum punishment, while accusing the ruling party of using the suffering of minor girls for political purposes during the bypoll.
Stalin escalated his response on Friday, directly targeting Vijay over his Madurantakam speech. He questioned how Vijay could describe the TVK as a “pure force” and the DMK as an “evil force” while standing alongside K Maragatham Kumaravel, the former AIADMK MLA who joined the TVK and is contesting the Madurantakam bypoll on its ticket.
The DMK chief also challenged Vijay's allegation that the DMK, AIADMK and BJP were working together. Stalin referred to the TVK's political position towards the BJP and questioned Vijay over what he described as instances of the party's conduct in the Assembly.
"You claimed that the DMK and BJP are no different. Do the people watching live not know who frantically rushes to have the word "BJP" even if uttered by your own alliance ministers expunged from the Assembly records the moment it is spoken in the legislature?" tweeted Stalin., . ,Shooting- Dialogue Delivery- . ..... , pic.twitter.com/KlxqhEb0oE— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 25, 2026
Stalin also attacked Vijay over his criticism of the DMK government's record, mocking the TVK's claimed schemes and accusing the Chief Minister of failing to fulfil his promises after coming to power.'WHY ARE YOU SILENT SIR'
Vijay had questioned Stalin's silence over the case and alleged that the previous government had failed to act. Stalin said Vijay appeared not to have followed his earlier statement on the issue and pointed to the Madras High Court's direction against politicising the case.
Stalin also accused Vijay of seeking to turn the case into an issue for the Madurantakam bypoll. “Neither I nor the DMK attempted to extract petty political mileage” from the deaths of 41 people in Karur, he said, referring to Vijay's absence from the scene after the incident and contrasting it with the TVK's campaign against the DMK.
Vijay's Madurantakam speech had itself gone beyond the Veeramani case. He described the DMK as an “evil force” and alleged an understanding between the DMK, AIADMK and BJP. He also attacked the DMK over remarks allegedly made by its leaders about women and said the party was using attacks on him as a political weapon.
The Madurantakam bypoll has added weight to the confrontation. The seat fell vacant after AIADMK MLA K Maragatham Kumaravel resigned and joined the TVK; she has been re-nominated by Vijay's party. The bypoll is scheduled for October 6.- Ends
