CM Vijay Condemns Stalin Over Remarks Against TVK Candidate Sathyabama
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday condemned Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin for allegedly making derogatory, misogynistic remarks and body-shaming Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam candidate P Sathyabama during an election campaign meeting in Dharapuram.
Vijay stated that the campaign led by the former chief minister in Dharapuram on Friday was characterised by slander, misogyny, and personal abuse. Condemning the comments as a son, brother, and younger brother of Tamil women, Vijay said that voters in Dharapuram would deliver an appropriate response when casting their ballots in the assembly bypoll on October 6.
During the DMK campaign event, Stalin criticised Sathyabama, a TVK candidate who was previously with the AIADMK, over switching party loyalties. He reportedly used terms such as "petti" (suitcase) and "balti" (somersault), implying that she had switched political camps for financial gain.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Vijay termed the DMK an anti-democratic and evil force, accusing Stalin of taking pleasure in body-shaming and directing inappropriate remarks toward Sathyabama. Vijay further claimed that vulgarity, malice, and hostility were deeply entrenched in the DMK's ideology and accused its leadership of fostering a toxic political culture.
Expressing confidence in the electorate, Vijay noted that the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly voters in Dharapuram, would reject such conduct. He reiterated his strongest condemnation against the DMK for consistently targeting women with derogatory language.
Separately, Energy and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar also accused the DMK leadership of resorting to abusive language against women due to frustration over an impending electoral defeat. Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Nirmal Kumar said the statements made by Stalin and his son, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi, demonstrated a lack of vision for the future.
Nirmal Kumar alleged that the DMK leadership was acting out of desperation and had lost self-control, using offensive remarks against a woman candidate to draw public attention. He dismissed allegations of horse-trading raised by rival parties ahead of the Dharapuram bypoll as a baseless misinformation campaign, while also reiterating the government's opposition to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
