- 5 months ago
At India Today Conclave South 2025, DMK, AIADMK, BJP and Congress debated Tamil Nadu’s 2026 elections. Anti-incumbency and Vijay’s TVK emerged as key themes. Parties clashed over funds, NEET, dynasty politics and Centre-state relations.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00So, welcome to all of you.
00:26We're used to, of course, seeing this panel
00:28when we do our daily debates as well.
00:32I'll be, of course, far away in Delhi,
00:33so it's nice to be in person and holding this conversation.
00:37Let's begin with a quick recap
00:39of what the assembly numbers look like previously,
00:432021, 2016.
00:44Nagai, you want to run us through that?
00:45We'll just flash a graphic for all of you
00:48so that we can get the data
00:51of what happened in 2016 and 2021.
00:54In 2016, AIDMK's vote share was at 41%
00:59when former Chief Minister Jay Jailitha was there.
01:02And then in 2021, it reduced to 33%.
01:05And DMK went from 32% to 38%.
01:09And Congress went from 6% to 4%.
01:11And then BGP has remained the same,
01:13has not seen a growth in 16 and 21%.
01:17This time around in 26,
01:20the scenario is quite different.
01:21The Alenses are different.
01:24And the talking points are different.
01:26And this time we have some X factor called the Vijay,
01:31TVK party.
01:32We still don't know which party's votes is eating up.
01:35But to start with Mr. Sharap Saravanan,
01:37it's natural to have anti-incumbency.
01:40Yes.
01:42This, this figures will be reversed this time
01:44or you still see some respite and pro-incumbency with you?
01:49Yeah, see, before diving headlong into this 2026,
01:54I think we'll have to set certain records straight.
01:57The Chief Economic Advisor of Modi G yesterday was here
02:01and he was giving out so much of propaganda.
02:05I just want to point out two things.
02:09He said that DMK has stolen the identity of Tamil Nadu.
02:13We want to reiterate,
02:16we are Tamil Nadu.
02:17We are the cultural heritage.
02:20We represent the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu.
02:23We reclaimed it in the last 100 years.
02:26And probably that is why he said what he said.
02:30And there a part.
02:31He said,
02:32I expect more from the state of Tamil Nadu.
02:35Tamil Nadu should become California.
02:36We would have surpassed California
02:40if only federalism was followed in its truest form.
02:45U.S., we all know how the states are so independent.
02:48We don't want that kind of autonomy.
02:50We want the same kind of autonomy
02:52that is guaranteed by our constitution.
02:56We are better than California.
02:57There are no homeless people here in the state of Tamil Nadu.
03:00We abolished it by Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board,
03:03by the visionary scheme of Dr. Kalinger.
03:06And in California,
03:09they don't thrust meat down your throats.
03:12They don't ask their children to study three languages.
03:15Students in California study only one language.
03:17So, we will do better
03:18when there is less interference.
03:21And this has a direct bearing
03:23on the 2026 election.
03:25But how long are you taking this same point,
03:27center versus state,
03:28language versus language?
03:30Is there no new narrative for the DMK?
03:32It's not about no new narrative.
03:33It is about what that is thrust upon us.
03:37See,
03:382,500 crores
03:39was not given to the state of Tamil Nadu.
03:42It is not pocket change.
03:43We could do so many things with this 2,500 crores.
03:46Why it was not given to us?
03:47It was not given to us
03:49because we did not want Hindi
03:51as the third language.
03:52Not Hindi.
03:53We did not want any third language.
03:55And,
03:56and,
03:57if this policy
03:58was uniformly followed across India,
04:00yes,
04:01we said,
04:01okay,
04:02BJP has some,
04:03some morality.
04:05But in Maharashtra,
04:07there in the first time,
04:08we said,
04:08nothing doing.
04:09No third language.
04:10No Hindi.
04:11Okay.
04:12But,
04:122,500 crores
04:14under the SSA scheme
04:15was given to Maharashtra.
04:16Why?
04:17Because there was a BJP government.
04:19Here,
04:19opposition is ruling here.
04:22That is why,
04:22see,
04:22Manmuri Manam,
04:24that is the war cry
04:26of the Tamil Nadu
04:27Chief Minister,
04:27Mr. M.K.
04:28Stalin.
04:29Mr. Sarvanan,
04:29let's also open this up
04:30to the other panelists.
04:31Mr. Kovei Satyan,
04:32what do you have to say?
04:33Mr. Sarvanan says,
04:34the only reason
04:35we haven't,
04:36Tamil Nadu
04:36hasn't become
04:37California
04:38is because of
04:39the center's interference.
04:41Do you think so?
04:43I think people
04:44are sick and tired
04:45of listening to the rhetoric
04:47and fake promises
04:48of DMK.
04:50They turned out
04:51to be a party
04:51of fake factories
04:52peddling lies all over.
04:55Like how NEAT
04:56was gone
04:58with one signature.
05:00It's a reality, right?
05:01In 2021,
05:02if we were voted to power,
05:04we will abolish NEAT
05:05with one signature.
05:07And still people
05:07are waiting
05:08when M.K.
05:08Stalin will put
05:09his signature
05:10to get away with NEAT.
05:12525 poll promises.
05:14Three years ago,
05:15they were claiming
05:15that 90%
05:16is fulfilled.
05:1880,
05:1885%.
05:19Take a number,
05:20they will say
05:21out and open.
05:22But when you question them,
05:23why don't you list out
05:24the achievements?
05:25Why don't you list out
05:26the promises
05:27that were being fulfilled?
05:29There will be no answers.
05:31This is the only government
05:33in India,
05:33post-independence,
05:35among all the other state,
05:36which ran
05:37only on advertisements.
05:40Not by any leadership
05:41acumen,
05:42leadership skills,
05:43not by deliverables,
05:45as common man
05:46or common people expect.
05:47The Dravidian model
05:48of governance.
05:49What do you think
05:50of the Dravidian model?
05:51That's again
05:52is a brand,
05:53a part of advertisements,
05:55nothing else.
05:56But Mr. Satsang,
05:56this is the number one state
05:57in borrowing
05:58since independence.
06:00The brand has been
06:01proving right
06:0139-0
06:03in the recent
06:03Lok Sabha.
06:04you have to understand
06:06the brand
06:06has just started
06:07in 21
06:08and what has
06:09happened is
06:10by thinking that
06:12they are going
06:12overboard
06:13and taking it
06:14across global,
06:16the Dravidian icon
06:17Periyar
06:18was made
06:19a laughable stock
06:20by this
06:21chief minister.
06:22210 pounds
06:23they paid
06:24to rent a hall.
06:25They had a picture
06:26of Periyar there
06:27and they advertised
06:28saying that
06:28Oxford hosted
06:30EYAR's picture.
06:31We are happy
06:32to take Periyar global.
06:33We are into
06:34a just a 210 pound
06:35exercise.
06:36That's what
06:37their priorities are.
06:38Their priority
06:38is to run
06:39government
06:40only by advertisements
06:41and the lead actor
06:42in those advertisements
06:43is Mr. M. K. Stahl.
06:45Nothing else.
06:46We'll take the question
06:47to Mr. Vinoj
06:48from the BJP.
06:50How is it
06:50with the new president
06:51firstly?
06:52As the alliance
06:53with the AIDMK
06:54is in sync right now
06:55after Mr. Annamalai
06:57vacated the seat,
06:58how is the alliance
06:59doing and what are
07:00the prospects
07:00of BJP
07:01in this election?
07:05Alliances between
07:06political parties
07:07is beyond
07:10the ideologies.
07:14It is basically
07:14for the electoral
07:15numbers
07:16and in that sense
07:18today in Tamil Nadu
07:20the DMK
07:21has only been able
07:22to win elections
07:23is because
07:23they have been able
07:24to somehow manage
07:26and keep their
07:27parties together,
07:28the alliances together
07:29and that is the
07:29only reason
07:30they have been able
07:31to scrape through
07:31with elections.
07:33In 2024,
07:35there was a small
07:36error wherein
07:37the parties,
07:38especially the
07:39AIDMK and BJP
07:40ended up contesting
07:42alone and that is
07:42why since you
07:43asked the question
07:44of 39-0,
07:45a 39-0 was given
07:46to the DMK's
07:47alliance only because
07:48of the vote split
07:48which happened
07:49between BJP
07:50and the AIDMK.
07:51Now if this
07:52had not transpired,
07:54the story would have
07:54been entirely different.
07:55But even otherwise
07:57it doesn't matter
07:57because the
07:58parliament elections
07:59has never been
08:00a barometer for
08:00what will happen
08:01in the assembly.
08:02If you take the
08:03instance of 2009,
08:07the DMK alliance
08:08was able to win
08:09very very handsomely
08:10in the parliament
08:10elections but in
08:112011,
08:13DMK could not
08:13even be the
08:14principal opposition
08:15in the state
08:15of Tamil Nadu.
08:17Now that was
08:17the kind of
08:17anti-incumbency
08:18during the days
08:19of the late
08:20Karnanadi.
08:21But today,
08:22the anti-incumbency
08:23against the DMK
08:23is 10 times
08:25more than
08:25what it was
08:26between 2006
08:27and 2011.
08:28In 2021,
08:31the DMK
08:32created a
08:32Kamala Hassan
08:33to split the
08:34votes and to
08:35help them
08:36gain a victory.
08:38But this time
08:39around,
08:39it looks like
08:40the monster
08:40that you created
08:41called Vijay
08:42is going to be
08:43affecting the
08:44DMK themselves
08:45very badly
08:46and especially
08:48coupled with
08:49the huge
08:50anti-incumbency
08:50the DMK
08:51is facing.
08:52What have
08:52you done
08:52for the
08:53state of
08:53Tamil Nadu?
08:54DMK
08:54with a
08:56huge
08:56anti-incumbency
08:57the DMK
08:58is facing.
08:59So you
09:00want to
09:00speak?
09:01I can
09:01wait.
09:02With a
09:02huge
09:02anti-incumbency
09:03the DMK
09:04is having
09:04right now
09:05because the
09:05government
09:05basically for
09:06the last
09:07four and
09:07a half
09:07years has
09:08been running
09:09on hatred,
09:10lies and
09:11powerpoint
09:11presentations.
09:12But you
09:12said DMK
09:13has created
09:14this monster
09:14called TVK.
09:16I have a
09:16feeling that
09:17the DMK
09:17has created
09:18this monster
09:18called
09:19because you
09:19know what
09:19has happened
09:20in Kamala
09:20and he
09:20was an
09:21aspiring CM
09:22candidate.
09:23But today
09:23he has
09:23sold his
09:24party for
09:24one Rajasabha
09:25seat and
09:25he's merged
09:26with the
09:26DMK.
09:27So what
09:28Vijay is
09:28doing today
09:29is again
09:29viewing for
09:30the same
09:30votes.
09:30He's again
09:31trying to
09:31fight for
09:32the same
09:32vote bank.
09:32He's again
09:33doing the
09:33same narrative
09:34anti-BJP,
09:35anti-Modi,
09:36what the
09:36DMK is
09:37doing.
09:37So coupled
09:38along with
09:39the huge
09:39anti-incumbency
09:40because this
09:41is a
09:41complete
09:41failed
09:41model.
09:42The
09:42Dravidian
09:42model which
09:43the DMK
09:43is trying
09:44to boast
09:44of is a
09:45failed
09:45model.
09:46And this
09:46is not
09:46because I
09:47am saying
09:47it's because
09:47what the
09:48numbers are
09:48saying.
09:49The data,
09:51the statistics
09:51what it's
09:52saying is
09:52it's a
09:53complete
09:53failed
09:53model.
09:54You take
09:54the case
09:55of a
09:55law and
09:55order,
09:56you take
09:56the case
09:56of the
09:57swajbar
09:58index of
09:59Tamil Nadu,
09:59you take
10:00the case
10:00of the
10:01industrialization,
10:02you take
10:02the case
10:02of education,
10:04you take
10:04the case
10:04of several
10:05parameters.
10:06Tamil Nadu
10:06has gone
10:07down the
10:07train ever
10:07since the
10:08DMK
10:08came to
10:08power.
10:09Women's
10:09safety is
10:10a question
10:10mark.
10:11The usage
10:11of synthetic
10:12drugs has
10:12completely
10:13ruined the
10:13society,
10:14ruining the
10:15state day
10:15by day.
10:16We'll take
10:16each of
10:17these issues
10:17but quickly
10:18because we
10:18have very
10:19limited time,
10:19I want to
10:20also give
10:21an opportunity
10:21to Lakshmi
10:22Ramachandran to
10:23make her
10:23opening remarks.
10:24For the
10:25Congress,
10:26have you
10:26become a
10:27non-player in
10:28the political
10:28arena of
10:29Tamil Nadu,
10:30playing second
10:31maybe third
10:31fiddle to
10:32the DMK?
10:33Good evening
10:34everybody and
10:35Manakam
10:35Coimbatore.
10:37So before
10:38answering your
10:39question, I
10:40just want to
10:40make a point.
10:41See, one
10:43thing that I
10:44have to
10:44congratulate the
10:45current government
10:46is about
10:47steering the
10:49discussion in
10:50Tamil Nadu
10:51away from the
10:52emotive issues.
10:54Otherwise, you
10:55know, election is
10:56round the
10:57corner, so you
10:58will hear this
11:00Kandasashti,
11:01Ayyappa, and
11:02all these issues
11:03starting.
11:04Today we are
11:04talking about
11:05investments, we
11:07are talking about
11:07growth.
11:0811.19% is the
11:11GDP growth rate
11:13according to the
11:14center statistics.
11:15This is not a
11:16number that the
11:17Tamil Nadu
11:18government has
11:18come up with.
11:19So, and we are
11:20talking about
11:21breakfast scheme,
11:22we are talking
11:22about, you know,
11:23reaching this
11:24growth to every
11:25citizen of
11:26Tamil Nadu.
11:27So the
11:28narrative, the
11:29discussion has
11:30been steered
11:31away from all
11:33these emotive
11:34issues that we
11:34have to
11:35congratulate the
11:36government.
11:37Number two, is
11:39there opposition
11:39at all?
11:41I mean, earlier
11:42we have heard
11:42about differences
11:44between BJP and
11:45ADMK.
11:46Today we are
11:46hearing about
11:47differences within
11:49BJP, within
11:50ADMK.
11:51I don't know, is
11:53there an opposition
11:53at all?
11:54So if there
11:55needs to be
11:57continuity in
11:58governance, they
12:00don't present
12:01themselves as a
12:02viable option for
12:02the people of
12:03Tamil Nadu.
12:03Now let me
12:04finish with, let
12:05me answer your
12:06question.
12:07See, as far as
12:09Tamil Nadu is
12:10concerned, every
12:11party here knows
12:13that no government
12:14can be made
12:15without the
12:16Congress party.
12:17That is the
12:17reality of the
12:18state.
12:19The DMK knows
12:21it and the
12:22chief minister
12:22knows it very,
12:24very well.
12:25You think so?
12:25And he's always
12:26been respectful
12:27to the alliance
12:28partners.
12:28If you are such
12:29a big player, why
12:30are you not asking
12:30for a ministry in
12:31the coalition?
12:32I mean, when
12:34the time comes,
12:34that's not...
12:35Why is it always
12:36that Congress is a
12:37second player?
12:38Doesn't Congress
12:38want to be in the
12:39cabinet?
12:40Today, it is about
12:42fighting the election.
12:43When the time comes,
12:44that's...
12:44But you said you're a
12:45big player, without
12:46you, no government
12:47is formed.
12:48What is it?
12:48You said without the
12:49Congress, no government
12:50is formed in the
12:52Tamil Nadu state.
12:52So why doesn't the
12:53Congress demand a
12:54cabinet birth?
12:55When the time comes,
12:56we'll talk about it.
12:57Today, it is about
12:58fighting the elections
12:59together.
13:00You know, my
13:01leaders, when the
13:02time comes, they
13:04will, you know, have
13:05those discussions.
13:06Right now, it is
13:07about continuity of
13:09the good governance
13:10that has been
13:10delivered by DMK, and
13:12we want to oppose
13:13communal divisive
13:14forces.
13:15So we are in this
13:16game together, and
13:18we will fight as an
13:19alliance, and we'll,
13:20you know, up these
13:21numbers.
13:22There is no
13:22anti-incumency.
13:23I would say it is
13:24like, you know, it's
13:25the opposite.
13:26Can we come up with
13:27some term, pro-incumbency
13:28or something like
13:29that?
13:29I think Mr. Annamalai
13:30spoke yesterday.
13:31I was there in his
13:31session.
13:32He refused to accept
13:33that there is any
13:34anti-incumbency.
13:35He said there is
13:36anti-incumbency.
13:37No, no, he said
13:38it'll, maybe it'll
13:39sit in in December.
13:40Right now, I don't
13:41see anything.
13:42A moment, Lakshmi.
13:44The BJP spokesperson
13:45is blaming your
13:47government, your
13:47party for creating
13:48Vijay.
13:49Do you guys have a
13:50hand behind him?
13:51Are you promoting
13:52Vijay?
13:53It is the BJP.
13:54There is a BJP
13:55which is promoting
13:56Vijay and everybody
13:58is aware of it.
13:59People in the state
14:00of Tamil Nadu are
14:01aware of it and the
14:03announcement that has
14:04come today has laid
14:05bare his interest in
14:07politics and the
14:07people of Tamil Nadu.
14:09Vijay is everyone's
14:09B team.
14:10He is DMK's B team.
14:11He is BJP's B team.
14:12They have to say
14:12that.
14:13They have to say
14:13that.
14:14That a party were
14:15asking whether Vijay
14:16would be, you know,
14:18a significant player
14:19here.
14:20He has announced
14:21rallies.
14:22He is going to meet
14:24people.
14:24You know when?
14:25Every Saturday.
14:27Every Saturday from
14:28now on is going to
14:30meet people.
14:31Does he think that
14:32politics is a weekend
14:33activity?
14:35So let's discount.
14:36Let's not waste our
14:37time discussing him.
14:39There are bigger issues
14:40than that.
14:41The most important
14:42issue right now would
14:43be you are talking
14:44about anti-incumbency.
14:47So I will ask this
14:48question.
14:48You are saying four
14:49and a half years of good
14:50governance has created
14:51anti-incumbency in the
14:53state of Tamil Nadu.
14:53What about 11 years of
14:55anti-incumbency of the
14:55BJP?
14:56How will the ADMK
14:57take it?
14:58How will the BJP
14:59ADMK company will be
15:00able to overcome that?
15:02It's next to
15:03impossibility because
15:04now everything is
15:06controlled by the
15:07union government.
15:09Petrol, diesel prices
15:10controlled by the
15:11union government.
15:12Just a moment.
15:14Just a moment.
15:14We are getting cheap
15:15Russian crude oil,
15:17but that benefit is not
15:18passed on to you and
15:19passed on to me.
15:20It is to benefit the
15:23coffers of the cronies
15:24of the BJP.
15:26Who has to point this
15:27out?
15:27Mr. Trump has to point
15:28it out.
15:29And nobody is addressing
15:30the white elephant,
15:32the elephant in this
15:33room.
15:33What is that?
15:34Vote theft
15:34allegations.
15:36Our chief minister,
15:36Mr. M.K.
15:37Stalin has said that
15:38this government is
15:39illegitimate.
15:40The Japanese prime
15:42minister has resigned
15:43and today Nepal prime
15:45minister has resigned.
15:46I'm just saying,
15:47just saying.
15:47So, this is the
15:50sorry state of affairs
15:51and let me conclude
15:55this segment by
15:56stating this.
15:57If you are talking
15:58about governance,
16:00Mr. Modi should
16:01come here, take
16:02lessons from our
16:02leader, Mr. M.K.
16:03Stalin on how to
16:04run a government.
16:05I'll tell you why.
16:06I'll take only one
16:07example.
16:08Skill India program
16:09of the BJP
16:10government.
16:10Let them give me
16:11statistics.
16:12How many people have
16:13been benefited?
16:14It was announced
16:15much fanfare.
16:16You would have
16:17realized last budget,
16:19one crore
16:20apprenticeships.
16:21What happened?
16:21Nothing.
16:22But here in the
16:22state of Tamil Nadu,
16:23we had non-Mudalvan
16:24scheme.
16:26People, students
16:27studying in the
16:28government colleges,
16:30arts and science
16:30government colleges
16:31are placed in
16:33multinational
16:33corporations.
16:34How was it made
16:35possible?
16:35Because of the
16:36governance skills of
16:38our leader, Mr. M.K.
16:38Stalin.
16:39Mr. Sharavanan is
16:39already in election
16:40rally mood and
16:42all charged up.
16:43Mr. Kovai Satin,
16:44the elephant in the
16:45room in AIDMK is
16:46the infighting.
16:47We just saw a
16:48senior leader giving
16:49deadline to EPS,
16:50saying, why are
16:52they not taking
16:52United AIDMK?
16:54TTV has moved
16:54away.
16:55What's happening
16:56within AIDMK?
16:58Thank you for
16:59asking this question.
17:00So let me summarize
17:01the 15-month rule of
17:03our leader EPS.
17:05Cite me one example
17:06or one challenge he
17:08has not encountered
17:09since assuming office
17:11as the chief
17:11minister of the
17:12state.
17:12from 134 MLAs,
17:15the 135 MLAs,
17:16there were 11
17:16dribbles.
17:18Three independents
17:19were as good as
17:20the sleeper cells of
17:21DMK because morning
17:22they go to
17:23Arivalium,
17:24afternoon they come
17:24to secretariat.
17:25With just 125 MLAs
17:27on hand, he assumed
17:29office as the chief
17:30minister of the
17:31state.
17:32From there onwards,
17:33the challenges were
17:34manifold.
17:35Gaja, Okki,
17:37Nivar,
17:38Varda,
17:38the natural
17:39calamities,
17:40which hit the
17:41economies really
17:42hard.
17:43But still then,
17:44when the national
17:44average of GDP
17:45was 4.3,
17:47Tamil Nadu
17:47clocked 8.6
17:48in 2018.
17:50And out of all
17:5115 months,
17:52one and a half
17:5218 months went
17:53in Corona,
17:54which is a cherry
17:54on the icing.
17:55Despite this,
17:57he delivered a
17:58government which
18:00couldn't be shook
18:00by anybody,
18:01despite the tall
18:02claims and promises
18:03by MK Stalin
18:04that this government
18:05will be toppled,
18:06it will go away
18:07in two weeks,
18:08like an astrologer,
18:09it will go in
18:09one month time,
18:10three months time.
18:11So,
18:11he has seen
18:12many more
18:13challenges,
18:14still delivered
18:15for the welfare
18:16of Tamil Nadu.
18:16No,
18:16but you have to
18:17admit.
18:1730 seconds.
18:19Let's travel
18:1930 kilometers
18:20from here,
18:21we'll hit Kerala
18:21border,
18:22right?
18:22Let's ask somebody
18:23from Kerala,
18:24do you have
18:24something called
18:25a protected
18:25agricultural zone
18:26in Kerala?
18:27Or let's go to
18:28any state in India,
18:29can we find a
18:30protected agricultural
18:31zone?
18:32It is only there
18:33in the state
18:33called Tamil Nadu,
18:34which was possible
18:35only because of
18:36a leader who is
18:37a farmer,
18:37EPS,
18:38saving pharmacy.
18:39One more thing,
18:40let's go to
18:40any other state,
18:41let us,
18:42do they have
18:427.5 percent
18:43internal reservation
18:44for need for
18:45government school
18:46student aspiring
18:46to do medicine?
18:47No way.
18:48So challenges
18:51were there for
18:52our leader,
18:53he proved his
18:54leadership acumen
18:55and mittel
18:56way back.
18:56No, but you
18:56have to admit,
18:57sir, that you
18:58need to be a,
18:58look, the DMK
19:00is a giant,
19:00do you concede
19:01that, a giant
19:02to beat in the
19:03upcoming elections,
19:03do you concede
19:04that?
19:05DMK has already
19:06lost on the
19:07ground.
19:08Let me tell you
19:09one more example.
19:10So if elections
19:10are held today,
19:11you're saying
19:12you'll win.
19:12Let's talk with
19:13data at some
19:14point, I hope
19:14Mr. Saran will
19:15be happy to take
19:16up this challenge.
19:17The five leisure
19:18trips of Chief
19:19Minister M.K.
19:20Stalin, with
19:21family, without
19:21family, has
19:22yielded 35,000
19:24crores of
19:24investment.
19:26You mean to
19:27say that a
19:2735,000 crore of
19:28investment has
19:29resulted in 11%
19:30GDP?
19:32Isn't it a
19:32mockery and a
19:33joke?
19:34The global
19:35investors meet,
19:36which were
19:36conducted way
19:37back in AADMK
19:38regime under
19:39leader EPS,
19:40wherein we
19:41signed MOUs for
19:423 lakh and
19:424,000 crores,
19:43are yielding
19:44results, that's
19:44what they are
19:45stickering now.
19:45No, you haven't
19:45answered my
19:46question.
19:47Mr. Satyan, you
19:48haven't answered
19:48my question.
19:48I am coming
19:49to it.
19:49I am coming
19:50to it.
19:50But other
19:51side, other
19:51side, the
19:52Dravidian model,
19:53he won't be
19:53able to.
19:54Sengotian has
19:54met Amitsha
19:55last night.
19:56There are
19:56rebels within
19:57the party just
19:58months before
19:59the election.
20:00I am coming
20:00to it.
20:01And much
20:01before it, they
20:02say with
20:03Dravidian model,
20:03everybody are
20:04flourishing.
20:05Just 100
20:05kilometers from
20:06here, women are
20:07selling their
20:08kidneys.
20:10Hundreds of
20:10women have
20:11sold their
20:11kidneys.
20:12And where
20:12have you
20:12eradicated
20:13poverty?
20:14Where is
20:14Dravidian model?
20:15Where is
20:16your tall
20:16claim of
20:17per capita
20:17income is
20:18increasing,
20:19everybody are
20:20happy.
20:21And now, to
20:21answer your
20:22question, I
20:23am saying in
20:2415 months of
20:25his regime,
20:27with a dual
20:27leadership model,
20:28English, there
20:29is saying nobody
20:29can work under
20:30two bosses,
20:31right?
20:31And we are
20:32victims of
20:32it.
20:33Even in that
20:34scenario, by
20:35sharing half of
20:35the power in
20:36the party, being
20:37the CM of
20:37the state, facing
20:39natural calamities,
20:40facing multiple
20:41challenges, he
20:43delivered as a
20:44leader, he
20:45delivered as a
20:46leader of a
20:46party, he
20:47delivered as a
20:47result of the
20:48state.
20:48You have not
20:48answered my
20:49question.
20:49And this
20:49thing, yes or
20:50no, sir, then
20:51I will give it
20:51to you as a yes
20:52or no question.
20:52AIDMK has to
20:54be a unified
20:55force to take
20:55on the DMK,
20:56yes or no?
20:57Let me educate
20:58the media, hope
20:59this can go
21:00through others.
21:01AIDMK is not
21:02a split factions
21:04like they claim,
21:05neither in the
21:05election commission
21:06nor in front of
21:06judiciary.
21:07AIDMK is what?
21:10And the leader
21:10is EPS, general
21:11secretary is EPS.
21:12There are people
21:13who had left the
21:14party, those
21:15people are
21:16individuals.
21:17So you want
21:17to call Allegri
21:18as a faction of
21:19DMK now?
21:21Allegri, the
21:21brother of
21:22DMK, MK
21:23would you call
21:24him as a
21:25faction of
21:25DMK?
21:25No, but Sengotin
21:26was your leader
21:27till yesterday.
21:28So leader till
21:29yesterday, he
21:30was, he is
21:30still in the
21:31party.
21:31He is not
21:32terminated from
21:33the primary
21:33membership, only
21:34the role is
21:34being taken.
21:35That's why I'm
21:36saying our
21:36leader has seen
21:37many challenges
21:38and he has
21:39demonstrated his
21:40leadership skill
21:41to steer the
21:42party in
21:43Tamil Nadu.
21:44Let me ask
21:45you, has MK
21:46Stellan faced
21:46any one of these
21:47challenges like
21:48what our leader
21:49has faced?
21:49Okay.
21:50Tell me one,
21:51only one thing
21:51he did, you
21:52know what he
21:52did?
21:53When somebody
21:53questioned, will
21:54anybody from
21:55your family come
21:55into politics?
21:57Be it my
21:58son, be it my
22:00brother-in-law,
22:01nobody from my
22:02family will enter
22:02into politics, but
22:03today his son is
22:05the prince waiting
22:06to be crowned.
22:07isn't a star clarity?
22:08Where is democracy
22:10there?
22:10People are
22:11questioning this on
22:12the ground, rather
22:13than answering this,
22:15talking about what's
22:16happening, I'll sum it
22:17up in twenty six,
22:18because time is
22:19less.
22:19A state which has
22:20borrowed four
22:22lakh plus crores, a
22:23state which has
22:24increased all the
22:25taxes and got an
22:26additional revenue of
22:27one lakh and
22:28fourteen thousand
22:29crores, crying for
22:30two thousand one
22:31fifty crores, calling
22:32it as a state
22:33autonomy.
22:33I would call it
22:35as, that is your
22:35incompetence.
22:37Whatever
22:37incompetence is
22:39there, you are
22:39trying to cover it
22:40up in the name of
22:42governance issues.
22:44This is what the
22:46reality is.
22:47It's a failure
22:48model.
22:49It's two thousand
22:49five hundred crores.
22:50Is that small pocket
22:51change?
22:52Asking that money.
22:53I will finish.
22:54Because you have
22:55this slave mentality.
22:56Your governance
22:57issue.
22:59When you ask for
23:00your right, when
23:01you ask for your
23:02right, it will look
23:02like pocket change
23:03not the way you
23:04ask for your
23:04right.
23:05This is incompetence.
23:07This is incompetence.
23:09This is not asking
23:10for right.
23:10This is incompetence.
23:12Covering your
23:12incompetence.
23:13Let me tell you,
23:14governance issues
23:15are there in every
23:17government.
23:18Vinoj Selvam, in
23:19Tamil Nadu, there's
23:20constantly an image
23:21that's been created
23:22that BJP is the
23:23villain in Delhi,
23:25doesn't understand
23:25Tamil Nadu
23:26politics, outsider
23:27tag.
23:28How do you beat
23:29that?
23:29Especially since
23:30you've heard from
23:30Mr. Sarvanan, the
23:32DMK is constantly
23:33saying the center
23:33has been unfair
23:34with Tamil Nadu.
23:36Firstly, let me
23:36make myself very
23:37clear that to all
23:38DMK sympathizers,
23:40that let it be the
23:42Japanese Prime
23:42Minister Ibiza or the
23:43Nepalese Prime
23:44Minister Oli, we have
23:45Narendra Modi in
23:46India who is the
23:46most tallest, most
23:47admired leader in the
23:48world today.
23:49So any daydreaming,
23:50any daydreaming that
23:51India is going the way
23:52of Japan or Pakistan or
23:54Bangladesh or Nepal, it's
23:55not going to happen.
23:56History will remember
23:56Narendra Modi as the
23:57leader who stood up to
23:58the imposition of the
23:59Western world.
23:59So let's keep that in
24:01mind before we go
24:01ahead.
24:02Secondly, he's been
24:03talking about 2,500
24:04crores, but he keeps
24:05forgetting that this
24:06government has borrowed
24:0715,000 crores as a
24:08special assistance package
24:09from the central
24:10government, which is a
24:1150-year loan and the
24:13interest is being borne by
24:14the central government
24:14itself and this money
24:15has never been taken
24:16into account.
24:17So much of money has
24:18been borrowed and as
24:19Lashimam said about the
24:20GDP of Tamil Nadu going
24:21up, also the crimes
24:22against women has gone
24:23up to 55% in the state
24:24and no one talks about
24:25that.
24:2625 lock-up deaths in the
24:27last four years, no one
24:28talks about that.
24:29This state has completely
24:30lost its perception as a
24:32safe state in this
24:33country.
24:34Tamil Nadu's index has
24:35gone down to the 21st
24:36rank out of 31 cities
24:37with population over 1
24:38million for safe cities.
24:41So, you know, let's
24:42accept the fact that the
24:43anti-incumbency is very,
24:44very high against the
24:45ruling state government
24:46and coming to the
24:47center.
24:48If Narendra Modi or the
24:49BJP has not understood
24:50Tamil Nadu, all these
24:52projects which have been
24:53sanctioned over the last
24:54four years, which again
24:55the DIMK conveniently
24:56forgets to talk about,
24:57let it be the 65,000
24:59crores given to the
24:59Metrorail project or let
25:01it be the 6,000 crores
25:02being given only in this
25:03year to the railways
25:04projects in Tamil Nadu or
25:05let it be the 4,000
25:06kilometers of national
25:07railways being laid in
25:08Tamil Nadu over the last
25:09four years, or last 10
25:10years.
25:11So, all of this is only
25:12because Narendra Modi
25:13understands Tamil Nadu,
25:15it's only because Narendra
25:16Modi cares for Tamil Nadu
25:17and the DIMK's policy,
25:20DIMK basically thrives on
25:21one concept, division,
25:24diversion, distraction and
25:25this is not going to work
25:27then this time.
25:27Viroj, but your party is
25:29trying to meddle with the
25:31AIDMK internal party
25:32politics, you are giving
25:33them the opportunity to
25:34meet your home minister
25:36and the former
25:36president Sengotin,
25:37reportedly quote unquote
25:39met Amit Shah, why is
25:41that the AIDMK leaders
25:42running to Delhi, we are
25:43time and again hearing
25:44that whenever there is a
25:45rebellion within the AIDMK,
25:47BJP tries to be the big
25:48father figure and tries to
25:49sort it out.
25:50See, the major division
25:52between BJP and AIDMK
25:53and the DIMK and the
25:54Congress is that the
25:56BJP and AIDMK does not
25:58belong to a family.
25:59Both these parties have
26:00leaders who have brains
26:01to think for themselves.
26:02The DIMK and the
26:03Congress are factory run
26:04enterprises.
26:06They are basically
26:06business organizations.
26:08So the case of
26:08rebels will not happen
26:09there because they
26:10report to a family.
26:11But here there are
26:12individuals with
26:12aspirations for the
26:13betterment of their own
26:14parties and they have
26:15different views.
26:17And the role of the
26:18BJP here is just to
26:19ensure that the DIMK
26:20which is not only a
26:21threat for Tamil Nadu,
26:22but for the threat of
26:23the entire nation.
26:25They are a national
26:25security threat and this
26:26DIMK government should
26:28go and that is the
26:28entire idea for which
26:31the BJP is working and
26:32we have aligned with
26:33the AIDMK to bring
26:34like-minded parties to
26:35achieve this goal of
26:37saving Tamil Nadu from
26:38the people of DIMK.
26:39BJP cannot hope to win
26:41the state of Tamil Nadu
26:42unless they steal the
26:43votes.
26:44And every DIMK
26:45cadre at the booth
26:46level will not allow
26:47that.
26:48So BJP,
26:49whomever they ally with,
26:50they can never ever,
26:51the lotus will never ever
26:53bloom in the state of
26:54Tamil Nadu.
26:54Okay, okay.
26:55Let's bring in Lakshmi
26:56Ramachandran.
26:56Let your ally also speak
26:57sir a little.
26:59On the charge that
27:00constantly is brought up
27:02of dynasty politics,
27:03of nepotism in the
27:05Congress, now in the
27:06DIMK also, how do you
27:07respond to that?
27:08Amit Shah, I mean, I think
27:13this is, people are
27:14getting tired of this,
27:16you know, this is, it's
27:17not that BJP is devoid of
27:20Dinas, you know, you
27:21think of this Tejasvi,
27:23Tejasvi Surya in Karnataka,
27:26his uncle is in MLA and
27:28today Sushma Swaraj's
27:30daughter is in MP.
27:31I think that list is
27:32already there in the
27:33internet.
27:34People can Google and find
27:36out for themselves, but
27:36let's talk about important
27:38issues related to
27:39Tamil Nadu.
27:40I hope before the
27:41elections, Minoj will
27:43talk to his leaders in
27:45Delhi and get us the
27:462,500 crores that is due
27:48to our children.
27:49Minoj?
27:50It is about the poor
27:51children of Tamil Nadu
27:52who go to the
27:54government schools, you
27:55know, these are students
27:56who come from
27:57marginalized families.
27:58They have been
27:59deprived of 2,500 crores
28:02of Tamil Nadu, 2,500
28:05crores.
28:06This is the fourth
28:07time 2,500 crores has
28:09been mentioned.
28:09I hope, I hope also
28:11the DMK allows the
28:12poor children of
28:12Tamil Nadu to learn a
28:13third language like how
28:14the CBSE schools owned
28:16by the DMK, owned by
28:17the Congress.
28:18Isn't this holding
28:19children on language
28:20are being allowed to
28:22learn in DMK and
28:23private schools?
28:24Why don't you allow
28:25them to learn?
28:26Your children might be
28:26knowing three languages,
28:27four languages.
28:28Why can't the poor
28:29children also learn that?
28:31Why does the DMK
28:31stop that?
28:32What is your
28:33problem?
28:33What is your
28:34problem?
28:34What is your
28:35problem?
28:35What is your
28:35problem?
28:36How was it made
28:37possible?
28:38We are here having
28:38this conversation.
28:39India is having
28:40this conflict here
28:41in the state of
28:41Tamil Nadu in
28:42Coimbatore.
28:43How was it made
28:43possible?
28:44It is made possible
28:45because of DMK,
28:47the language war of
28:481965 because we
28:49ensured that there
28:50is one or two
28:50languages.
28:51English will stay
28:52here.
28:52If not,
28:53if the children
29:02want to learn a
29:02third language
29:03themselves,
29:04what is wrong
29:04if the children
29:05want to learn
29:06Kannada,
29:06Telugu,
29:07English,
29:08Hindi?
29:08Yeah,
29:09if anybody wants
29:10to learn a
29:10third language
29:11or a fourth
29:12language or a
29:12fifth language,
29:13please,
29:14you are free
29:14to do so.
29:15Okay,
29:15show of hands.
29:16No problem.
29:16We have
29:18Dachshin,
29:19Bharat,
29:20Prachar,
29:21Sabha.
29:21Okay,
29:21let's let the
29:22people decide.
29:23Let's let the
29:24audience decide.
29:25Please go there.
29:25Let's let the
29:26audience decide.
29:27Let's take a
29:28show of hands.
29:29How many of you
29:30think that people
29:31should be able to
29:32learn three languages
29:32including Hindi
29:33in Tamil Nadu?
29:36That's 60% of
29:37the hall.
29:38Why only three
29:39languages?
29:40Five languages?
29:41Six languages?
29:42Sure,
29:42I mentioned Hindi
29:43because I knew
29:44otherwise I'd be
29:45questioned.
29:45So,
29:46they seem to
29:46say let's
29:47open it up,
29:47Lakshmi.
29:48AI,
29:48ADMK and
29:49DMK are okay
29:50with a two
29:51language policy
29:51but don't impose
29:52it was our
29:53stand.
29:54But I tell you
29:55what,
29:55we are not the
29:56ones who goes
29:57to the union
29:57minister and
29:58give a letter
29:58of consent
29:59stating that
30:00we are okay
30:01to have PM
30:01Shree schools
30:02which follow
30:03NEP.
30:03NEP is a
30:04three language
30:04policy.
30:05So,
30:06close doors,
30:06you go and
30:07give a consent
30:07letter which
30:08goes against
30:09your ideology
30:10and stand
30:10of two
30:10language policy.
30:12Once you
30:12stand exposed,
30:14once you
30:14stand exposed,
30:15you fight
30:16saying that
30:16no,
30:16no,
30:16no,
30:17we are a
30:17party with
30:18two languages.
30:18One final
30:19question before
30:20we have
30:20every walk
30:22of time.
30:23Just a second.
30:24Let me finish.
30:26Time out,
30:27time out.
30:28One final
30:28question.
30:29This double
30:30standards of
30:31DMK is known
30:32for everybody.
30:33The DMK double
30:34standards is well
30:35known.
30:35If DMK wins
30:36the 2026 election,
30:38are you telling
30:39me that Mr.
30:39Stalin will remain
30:40the CM for the
30:41next five years
30:42and there will be
30:42no change of
30:43guard?
30:43Can you promise
30:44on this stage
30:44that there will
30:45be no change of
30:46guard?
30:46See,
30:47we are going
30:47to win the
30:482026 elections.
30:50DMK is going
30:50to win that
30:51and our leader
30:52Mr.
30:52MK Stalin will
30:53be the chief
30:53minister.
30:54For all five
30:55years?
30:56For all five
30:56years?
30:57I don't know.
30:57Why you are not
30:58confident about that?
30:59Every,
31:00when he is chosen
31:01as the chief
31:01minister,
31:02he will be the
31:03chief minister.
31:03Where is this
31:04hypothetical question?
31:05Why do you even
31:06ask this question?
31:06Because,
31:07will you ask this
31:07question?
31:08Yes,
31:08yes,
31:09I am going to
31:09ask him.
31:09after this
31:12vote of
31:13delegations,
31:14will Mr.
31:14Modi continue
31:15to be the
31:15prime minister?
31:16Because our
31:16youth and
31:17sports office
31:18minister was
31:19made the
31:19deputy chief
31:20minister.
31:20No,
31:2110 seconds.
31:22That is
31:22different.
31:22Why go till
31:232026 election
31:31time?
31:32My challenge
31:32to MK
31:33Stalin now,
31:34will he dare
31:35to say,
31:35after me,
31:37my son will
31:37not come as
31:38a successor?
31:38Like how my
31:39leader says
31:40out in open,
31:40this is a
31:41democratic party,
31:42after me,
31:43somebody else
31:43who works for
31:44the party,
31:44who is loyal
31:45to the party
31:45will come.
31:46I challenge
31:46MK Stalin in
31:47this election
31:48rally,
31:48will he say
31:49that after me,
31:51my son will
31:52not be crowned?
31:53He will not
31:54be there.
31:54Will he dare
31:55to say that?
31:55In a democracy,
31:56in a democracy,
31:57shutting out
31:58someone because
31:59he is somebody's
31:59child is also
32:00not democracy.
32:01That is also
32:02not the people
32:02who decide.
32:04If somebody
32:05is going to be
32:05put up for
32:05a civilisation,
32:06someone is
32:08going to become
32:08an MLA,
32:09the people
32:11will decide
32:12if they are
32:12against
32:13nepotism,
32:13if they are
32:14against
32:14dynasty,
32:15they will
32:16vote him
32:17out.
32:17If Chief
32:17Minister
32:18Stalin is
32:18seeing this
32:19debate,
32:19your ticket
32:21is guaranteed.
32:23So who are
32:23these people?
32:24Mr.
32:24Saravan,
32:24if Mr.
32:26Stalin is
32:26watching you
32:26today,
32:27your ticket
32:27is guaranteed.
32:28You are
32:29completely
32:29charged up.
32:31Thank you
32:32very much.
32:32Whether I'm
32:33sitting in
32:33Delhi or
32:34sitting
32:34personally
32:34with you,
32:35I'm unable
32:35to control
32:36your volumes.
32:36But thank
32:37you very
32:38much.
32:38It was a
32:38lovely session.
32:39Thank you so
32:39much.
32:39We apologise
32:39for that,
32:40but it gives
32:40you a sense
32:41of what
32:41really the
32:42Tamil Nadu
32:422026 election
32:44is also going
32:45to look like.
32:45Thank you
32:46all very much
32:46for joining
32:47us here at
32:47the India
32:47Today Conclave.
32:48And I
32:49request you
32:50all to
32:50please stay
32:51on stage
32:51as we
32:52thank our
32:53session sponsor
32:53Radical and
32:54also like to
32:55call upon
32:55Dr. Arun
32:56Palani
32:56Swami to
32:57hand over
32:57a token
32:58of our
32:58appreciation.
33:48And this
33:56session certainly
33:57has set the
33:57tone for
33:58the second
33:59half of
34:00the event
34:01left
34:02today.
34:04So we
34:06now move
34:06on to our
34:07next session.
35:45Can the
35:46Left Hold
35:46Kerala in
35:472026?
35:48I'd like to
35:49call on
35:49stage session
35:50moderator
35:50Nagarjan
35:51Dwarkanath,
35:52editor and
35:52head of
35:53South Bureau
35:53India Today
35:54Television.
35:55Also our
35:55guest joining
35:56us for this
35:56session,
35:57MB Rajesh,
35:58Minister of
35:58Local
35:59Self-Government
35:59Department and
36:00Excise,
36:01Kerala,
36:02and
36:02of
36:03And
36:03Center for
Comments