Ruling TVK is obsessed with purchasing MLAs: M.K. Stalin tells voters

DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday (September 4, 2026) appealed to voters in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies to vote for the DMK candidates, alleging the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was more interested in “purchasing” MLAs to protect its government.

In a speech posted on his social media page, Mr. Stalin alleged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was not concerned about pressing issues but was interested in constructing a new Secretariat on the advice of an astrologer.

“He is least bothered about the protests by fishermen and farmers. Instead, he will visit London to watch a car race. When murders have become the order of the day, he will be busy releasing reels about the ‘Singapen’ force,” Mr. Stalin said.

He appealed to voters who had “chased away” the ruling party’s candidates when they came seeking votes to defeat them in the byelections.

“You should disappoint the TVK, which seeks to cheat people by releasing reels and projecting false claims as achievements. There will be no betrayal of voters in the future only if you teach a lesson to the ruling party and its candidate who defected to it,” he said.

Mr. Stalin asked voters to consider why a byelection had become necessary in their constituencies barely four months after the Assembly election.

“While MLAs in other constituencies are studying the requirements of their constituencies, the MLAs whom you thought would be loyal to you have come back to seek your votes. Is there any justification for their act? Do they have even an iota of concern for your welfare?” he asked.

He alleged the MLAs from the two constituencies had “sold the self-respect” of the voters by “selling themselves” in the “horse race” of the ruling party.

“Are you ready to believe their lies and false stories?” he asked.

Mr. Stalin alleged the MLAs, after receiving “boxes” from the ruling party, were claiming they could serve the people only by becoming members of the ruling party.

“Is it true? If only the ruling party can do good for the people, all MLAs belonging to other parties should have resigned and joined the ruling party. A government cannot afford to ignore a constituency merely because it is represented by an Opposition MLA,” he said.

Mr. Stalin also rejected as “untrue” the claim that the DMK and the AIADMK had planned to come together to form the government. He said the byelection had been necessitated by the “betrayal” of a political party by its own MLA.