Vijay's Om Sakthi vs Udhayanidhi's Om Kali: TVK-DMK slogan war in Tamil Nadu

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has asked party workers to turn Joseph Vijay-led TVK's campaign slogan into a counter-chant, urging cadres to repeat a new rhyme targeting Tamil Nadu's ruling party at rallies and during door-to-door outreach.

Addressing a party meeting on September 27, Udhayanidhi said the counter-slogan was in response to Vijay's repeated use of "Om Sakthi, Parasakthi... DMK oru Theeya Sakthi" (DMK is an evil force) at political rallies. Without naming Vijay, Udhayanidhi asked party workers to respond with "Om Kali, Jai Kali... TVK oru Odugali" (TVK is a runaway).

"For the past two years, wherever he went, he consistently invoked 'Om Sakthi, Parasakthi' to target us. At that time, they were in the opposition and we were in power, and we listened to what was said. Now we have an opportunity to give it back," Udhayanidhi said.

He then led party workers in raising the new slogan and asked them to use it extensively during the election campaign.

"Don't even bother mentioning his name. Just say 'Om Kali Jai Kali' along with their party's name. In every campaign rally, whenever you meet the public, keep repeating this and register it firmly in the minds of the people," he said.

Udhayanidhi also stepped up his attack on the rival party by referring to the Karur stampede, in which more than 40 people lost their lives. He alleged that the opposing leadership had avoided accountability instead of answering questions from the media and the public at the airports in Tiruchirappalli and Chennai.

He asked party functionaries to carry the counter-campaign to door-to-door outreach as well as public rallies ahead of the coming polls.

The September 27 meeting, therefore, saw Udhayanidhi ask DMK cadres to counter TVK's "Om Sakthi, Parasakthi" slogan with a new chant while intensifying the party's campaign against its rival.- Ends