Chennai: As actor-turned-politician Vijay prepares to host his celebration’s second convention Thursday, lifesize cut-outs of DMK founder C.N. Annadurai and AIADMK founder M. G. Ramachandran have been positioned alongside his personal on the stage on the venue in Madurai.

The cut-outs of the 2 former chief ministers of the state although have been extra than simply stage ornament.

The TVK is organising its second convention at Parapathi on the Madurai-Thoothukudi Freeway in Madurai Thursday, 10 months after the primary convention held at Vikravandi in Villupuram district.

The cut-outs have been accompanied with the phrase ‘Varalaru Thirumbukirathu’ (historical past repeats) with years noting 1967, 1977 and 2026.

It was in 1967 that the DMK led by C.N. Annadurai got here to energy within the state for the primary time, whereas the AIADMK led by MGR earned energy in 1977. The point out of 2026, when meeting elections are due within the state, is an apparent assertion of Vijay’s aspiration to return to energy within the state similar to them.

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‘A transparent agenda’ 

Political analyst A. Ramasamy, a former professor within the Tamil division at Manonmaniam Sundaranar College, pointed to the time and place the place the pictures of former chief ministers are used.

“They’ve chosen to make use of the pictures of the 2 chief ministers in Madurai, as a result of they see a chance to woo AIADMK supporters within the southern belt,” Ramasamy instructed ThePrint.

“As a result of it’s within the southern area that AIADMK supporters, who have been earlier supporting former AIADMK leaders O. Panneerselvam, T.T.V. Dhinakaran and V.Okay. Sasikala, all belonging to the dominant Mukkulathor neighborhood in south, are disillusioned with the present management beneath Edappadi Okay. Palaniswami, who belongs to the Gounder neighborhood, who’re dominant within the Western area of the state.”

He additionally famous that it’s the first time that Vijay’s TVK is utilizing the pictures of Annadurai and MGR in his celebration assembly.

“After their first convention, the celebration has been conducting sales space committee conferences and different small occasions at their celebration headquarters in Chennai in addition to in different districts. However, they didn’t use the pictures of MGR and Anna there, however selected to make use of it in Madurai. It reveals a transparent agenda behind it,” Ramasamy famous.

Political analyst Priyan Srinivasan noticed that the AIADMK has been unusually restrained with Vijay’s use of MGR’s picture, a pointy distinction to the fierce criticism it directed at Vijayakanth and Kamal Haasan once they made related makes an attempt earlier.

“There appears to be some type of understanding between the AIADMK and the TVK. He (Vijay) has been tender over the AIADMK ever since he floated his celebration in February 2024. The AIADMK additionally appears to be tender over Vijay. That is purely an try to herald the unhappy AIADMK voters into his fold,” Srinivasan instructed ThePrint.

In 2007, actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth claimed himself as a “black MGR”. Nonetheless, he confronted the wrath of AIADMK staff. J. Jayalalithaa, the then celebration common secretary, condemned Vijayakanth for ‘appropriating’ MGR.

Equally in 2020, when actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan claimed himself because the MGR 2.0, the AIADMK led by Palaniswami criticised him. “The place was MGR’s contact in Kamal Haasan?” he requested.

Nonetheless, there has not been any official response from the AIADMK, not till now anyway, in opposition to Vijay for utilizing MGR’s picture in his celebration convention.

When requested about it, AIADMK spokesperson Babu Murugavel mentioned no one can substitute the celebration and appeal to its supporters simply by utilizing MGR’s picture.

“Folks know who’re the actual followers of MGR and who’re making use of his picture to draw voters. All the brand new entrants in politics are utilizing MGR’s picture, however solely the AIADMK has sustained and succeeded,” Babu Murugavel instructed ThePrint.

The primary convention 

Within the first convention held in October 2024, Vijay had declared the DMK as his celebration’s political enemy and the BJP as its ideological enemy. He had additionally declared Rationalist Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, former chief minister Okay. Kamaraj, B.R. Ambedkar, freedom fighters Rani Velu Nachiyar and Anjalai Ammal because the celebration’s ideologue.

Their images will also be seen on the stage on the second convention however they’re smaller in comparison with the 2 former chief ministers’.

Political analysts say Vijay is welcome to nurture hopes of changing into a chief minister in 2026, however “his aspiration just isn’t reflecting on the bottom work”.

“Whereas I admire his ideological readability whereas coming into into the celebration, he has not likely hit the bottom ever since his first convention. To recreate what the previous chief ministers did in 1967 and 1977, he has to work tougher,” Srinivasan instructed ThePrint.

With simply eight months to go for the state meeting elections, Vijay’s supporters too have excessive hopes from the actor who launched his political celebration in February 2024.

Sources within the TVK instructed ThePrint a number of resolutions are slated to be handed on the convention, together with two regarding southern districts.

“One decision can be to go a particular act (after the celebration involves energy) in opposition to honour killing instances and one other one can be to sentence the custodial killing of a safety guard in Sivagangai district,” a supply instructed ThePrint.

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