Udhayanidhi Stalin slams TVK's 'reels govt', says people will decide

Udhayanidhi Stalin slammed the ruling TVK, calling it a 'reels government' that focuses on social media optics over governance. He said the people, not the DMK, would remove the government and reaffirmed the DMK's commitment to public service.

Tamil Nadu Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday launched a series of attacks against the ruling TVK, accusing it of focusing on social media optics instead of governance and asserting that the people, not the DMK, would decide the future of the government.

Addressing party workers in Chennai, Udhayanidhi said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has always prioritised public service regardless of whether it is in power or in the opposition. "Whether we are in power or not, the DMK is a movement that believes in and demonstrates that serving the people is the most important duty. Whether in victory or defeat, those who stand with the people are Kalaignar's comrades. The DMK has seen every kind of victory and has faced every kind of defeat," he said.

'They are running a reels government'

Aiming for the ruling TVK leadership, Udhayanidhi alleged that the government was relying on social media rather than governance. "They came to power by posting reels. They think they can govern through reels as well. From MLAs to the Chief Minister, everyone is making reels. They are running a 'reels government'," he said.

Rejects Destabilisation Allegations

Rejecting allegations that the DMK was attempting to destabilise the government or form an alliance with the AIADMK, Udhayanidhi said the ruling party was repeatedly making such claims without basis. "Every morning, as soon as they wake up, they say the DMK is trying to form a government with the AIADMK. They also say the DMK is trying to topple the government. Why should we topple it? The people themselves will remove it," he said.

Referring to criticism directed at the DMK, he said, "He referred to us as an 'evil force,' a 'corrupt force,' and by many other names. He was even hesitant to mention our name."

'Now we know who the real opponent is'

Looking ahead to the next electoral contest, Udhayanidhi said the party had identified its principal political rival. "In the last election, we did not even know who our real opponent was. Those whom we wanted to defeat--we defeated them. We went street by street and district by district asking for votes, but we forgot to ask for votes at our own homes. Now we know who the real opponent is. Next time, we will not let them go," he said.

Attack on Former Allies and Corruption Stance

He also criticised leaders who were once part of the DMK alliance, alleging that some had remained silent to protect their positions. "Some people became ministers by receiving our votes through our alliance. They are staying silent because they fear that their 'sofa' will be pulled away. The DMK is not a party that will be frightened by your intimidation or threats," he said.

Continuing his attack, Udhayanidhi accused the ruling dispensation of abandoning its earlier stand against corruption. "The person who once said, 'We will not spare those who committed corruption,' is now inviting those very people into his own party. We will take to the people every mistake committed by the 'sofa model'," he added.

The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections marked a historic shift in state politics as TVK won 108 seats in its debut election, ending the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK formations. (ANI)

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