Chennai: On the occasion of the 117th birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravidian stalwart C.N. Annadurai, actor-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay pledged to follow the leader’s core political principle to bring about a change of government in the state. In a post on social media platform X, Vijay vowed to replicate the historic electoral victory of 1967 by taking his party’s agenda directly to the people.
The day saw celebrations across the state as political leaders from various parties paid floral tributes to the statue of the leader, fondly known as ‘Anna’ or elder brother. Annadurai, who came to power in 1967, is widely credited for laying the foundation of modern Tamil Nadu through pioneering social reforms, establishing the two-language policy (Tamil and English), and legalizing self-respect marriages.
Annadurai’s Enduring Legacy and Vijay’s Homage
Paying rich homage, Vijay’s post on X eulogized Annadurai as a multifaceted leader—an excellent speaker, writer, activist, and Chief Minister. He hailed Anna as “the embodiment of kindness” and “a wonderful political leader without family dominance” who worked sincerely for the people without “wearing double roles.”
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— TVK Vijay (@TVKVijayHQ) September 15, 2025
Vijay specifically highlighted Annadurai’s key achievements: raising his voice for the right to dignity, enacting the self-respect marriage law, legally changing the state’s name to Tamil Nadu, and having social justice as his core principle.
A Pledge for a 1967-Like Political Victory
Invoking Annadurai’s successful political strategy, Vijay stated that his party would follow the same grassroots mantra that led to the Dravidian movement’s first massive electoral victory. “Following his political mantra of ‘Go to the people’, we pledge to show the result of the political victory of the 1967 election and the change of government with the support of the people,” Vijay declared.
This statement is being viewed as a direct pledge to unseat the current DMK government by harnessing popular support, mirroring the historic shift in power that Annadurai engineered over five decades ago.
It is to be noted that Vijay kicked off his first State-wide political tour from Tiruchi on Saturday with a sharp attack on the DMK government, questioning whether it had fulfilled its 2021 poll promises.