Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay clarified in the Legislative Assembly that while his party, TVK, embraces the social principles of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, it does not accept his atheism or anti-religious views. He also spoke of adopting the ideals of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and former Chief Minister Kamaraj.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has clearly defined the ideological direction of his party, TVK. He stated unequivocally that his party adopts the social principles of Periyar—considered the father of Dravidian politics—but disagrees with his views rejecting religious faith and atheism.
Speaking in the Assembly on Monday during the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced that his party, TVK, has adopted the broad social principles of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, the father of Dravidian politics.
‘Views rejecting religious faith not accepted’
Highlighting the distinction between Periyar’s rationalist thinking and his party’s stance, Vijay said, “We did not accept Periyar’s rejection of religious faith, but we fully embraced his broader principles. We adopted Periyar’s teachings while making it clear that we are people who believe in God. We have always clarified that we are not opposed to anyone’s ideology.”
Ambedkar and Kamaraj models.
The Chief Minister told the House that his government operates based on a blend of ideological influences. The government has fully embraced Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s ideals of equal opportunity and social justice. Additionally, the government has adopted the Tamil Nadu administrative model as its guiding principle.
‘Went to the people first, then formed the party’
Vijay gave a fitting reply to critics who dismiss his organization as merely a party led by an actor. He noted that while most people start a political party first and then approach the public, he worked among the people before launching his party. It is those who fail to grasp this ground reality who dismiss TVK merely as an actor’s party.
‘Secured 17.2 million votes’
Recalling the historic performance in the 2026 assembly elections, Vijay stated that his party had entered the electoral fray alone, without any alliances. The people of the state clearly understood his message, resulting in the party securing 35 percent of the total vote share. By garnering a record 17.2 million (1.72 crore) votes, the party emerged as a major independent political force and is now in government.
Mention of the Karur incident
He strongly criticized attempts to hold his party responsible for unrelated incidents. He pointed out that while 41 lives were lost in Karur, the entire blame was pinned on his party, questioning whether politics should be conducted in such a manner.
Linking his administrative approach to the general public, Vijay compared it to the tenures of former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and M.G. Ramachandran (MGR). He stated that just as the eras of Anna and MGR were defined by governments of the common people, the government led by him is truly a government of the most ordinary citizens—one that shattered all barriers of religion and caste in the 2026 elections.
In his speech, Vijay leveled serious allegations against the previous government. He claimed that massive corruption had been perpetrated under the guise of ‘party funds’ during the previous administration’s tenure. Following this scathing attack by the Chief Minister, an uproar ensued in the House, and DMK MLAs staged a walkout from the assembly in protest.
