Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay launched his first poll campaign, aiming for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, in Tiruchirappalli on Saturday. In a fiery speech, Vijay didn't spare either the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu or the BJP at the Centre, accusing them of deceiving the people through different means and failing to fulfill their promises.

Vijay began his state-wide tour by invoking the tradition of kings praying at temples before war, stating he came to meet the people before the "democratic battle of 2026". He declared his voice as "the voice of all Tamils".

Vijay criticized the BJP's "One Nation, One Election" proposal, deeming it a scheme for "electoral manipulation". He also cautioned against a "grand conspiracy" of delimitation that would diminish the political influence of South India. Vijay accused the central government of withholding funds for Tamil Nadu's students, attempting to impose Hindi and Sanskrit, and pressuring archaeologists to dilute findings from the Keezhadi excavation. He asserted that the BJP "torments people".

Turning his attention to the DMK, Vijay accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of fulfilling only about a quarter of the DMK's 505 election promises, yet "claiming success without any conscience". He stated that the DMK "cheats" the people. He ridiculed the DMK's welfare schemes, saying, "You don't give Rs 1,000 to every woman, but you humiliate those who get it by boasting. You give free bus rides, then mock women as if they travel only for free". Vijay also slammed the government regarding a kidney theft scandal in a hospital allegedly connected to a DMK functionary.

Vijay highlighted specific issues relevant to Tiruchirappalli, including unresolved Cauvery water disputes, drinking water shortages, groundwater pollution from industrial effluents, and illegal sand mining allegedly controlled by individuals linked to the DMK. After each criticism, he asked, "Did you do it?".

Vijay stated, "The BJP government deceives Tamil Nadu. The Stalin government deceives Tamils with trust. One is betrayal, the other is fraud - both are crimes against democracy".

In response to Vijay's accusations, Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Dairy Development Mano Thangaraj stated that Vijay was simply echoing the BJP's criticisms of the DMK. He added that people understand the difference between "reel life and real life" and won't take Vijay's words seriously.

Prior to commencing his tour, Vijay criticized the DMK government for imposing unprecedented conditions on his rallies, alleging that the police were applying conditions to TVK that were not similarly applied to other leaders' campaigns. He urged his supporters to cooperate with the police and volunteers, and to watch the campaign via live telecasts if they faced difficulties attending the rallies.

TVK launched its campaign logo with the slogan 'Unga Vijay, Naan Varen' (Your Vijay, I am coming). TVK functionaries indicated that Vijay's speeches would address local issues and include sharper political attacks, primarily targeting the DMK, while focusing on ideology and governance flaws. The campaign marks a departure from Dravidian tradition.