Any vote for Vijay is a vote for DMK: AIADMK youth leader Singai Ramachandran

Any vote for actor Vijay’s party is equivalent to indirectly supporting the DMK, warned the AIADMK student wing secretary Singai Ramachandran, arguing that a fragmented Opposition vote would benefit the ruling party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In a wide-ranging interview, Ramachandran defended the AIADMK’s electoral strength despite recent setbacks, rejected claims of alliance strain with the BJP, and questioned the political credibility of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay.

“Any vote to Vijay is a vote to DMK,” he said, framing the 2026 contest as a decisive battle between the AIADMK-led alliance and the ruling DMK government.

Electoral record

Responding to criticism over AIADMK’s defeats in the 2021 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ramachandran argued that the party’s performance as the principal Opposition remained historically significant.

He pointed out that despite ten years in power and the absence of J Jayalalithaa, the party won 75 seats in 2021, which he described as the highest tally achieved by the AIADMK without its iconic leader.

“If we had secured two lakh more votes, we would have won 43 additional seats,” he said, underlining how narrow margins shaped the final outcome.

Alliance arithmetic

Defending the AIADMK–BJP alliance, Ramachandran said electoral mathematics favoured the coalition, citing vote-share figures publicly stated by party leaders.

“Our general secretary has said AIADMK has 23 per cent and BJP has 18 per cent. Together, that is 41 per cent,” he said, adding that vote transfer, not media perception, determines electoral success.

Rejecting speculation about internal friction, he said debates projecting a lack of coordination were driven by sections of the Tamil media and did not reflect ground-level realities.

Cadre strength

Addressing concerns about senior leaders leaving the party, Ramachandran stressed that AIADMK’s strength lay with its cadre base rather than individuals.

He cited examples from constituencies such as Namakkal, Erode and Madurai to argue that defections had not translated into electoral collapse.

“Party is always bigger than an individual,” he said, asserting that leaders may influence a few thousand votes, but cannot alter the party’s overall base.

DMK governance

Ramachandran sharply criticised the DMK government’s economic record, particularly the rise in state debt.

He claimed that Tamil Nadu’s debt nearly doubled over five years and argued that borrowing must translate into productive investment.

“Numbers and data should speak,” he said, questioning claims of economic performance despite reported GSDP growth.

Electricity prices

On electricity tariff hikes, Ramachandran rejected the DMK’s argument that increases were mandated under the UDAY scheme.

He said the AIADMK government had signed the scheme but avoided passing the burden to consumers between 2018 and 2021.

“If we could avoid hikes, they could have too,” he said, alleging that the current restraint on tariff increases was driven by impending elections.

Youth politics

Countering the narrative that youth support is shifting decisively to TVK, Ramachandran said such claims were exaggerated and perception-driven.

He detailed AIADMK’s youth outreach initiatives, including spokesperson training programmes and digital mobilisation efforts that attracted thousands of registrations organically.

He also highlighted welfare measures such as the distribution of over 52 lakh laptops during AIADMK rule, arguing that young voters were aware of the party’s record.

Vijay factor

Ramachandran criticised Vijay’s political approach, questioning his limited public engagement and reliance on symbolism.

Using the images of M G Ramachandran and K Kamaraj, he argued, would not automatically confer political legitimacy.

“If you use MGR’s photo or Kamaraj’s photo, you will not become MGR or Kamaraj,” he said, stressing that leadership required sustained public presence and accountability.

Leadership contrast

Drawing comparisons, Ramachandran praised former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) for administrative accessibility and crisis management.

“He was available. He listened. He stood knee-deep in floodwaters with farmers,” he said, contrasting this with what he described as the absence of visible leadership from both the DMK and TVK during crises.

Concluding his remarks, Ramachandran reiterated that the AIADMK remained the only viable alternative to the DMK in 2026.

“By voting for Vijay, it is like putting your coin inside a well. You cannot take it back,” he said.

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