Tamil Nadu CM Vijay was on the ground in Madurantakam and Dharapuram on May 28, 2026, meeting voters in tea shops and riding a tractor when DMK chief MK Stalin denounced the outreach as a "shooting" operation—calling it an over‑the‑top push for the upcoming bye‑elections.
Vijay, who won an unprecedented mandate in the 2026 assembly elections, said he meets people any time he wants and has been engaging with the public throughout the year. He pointed to the single visit he made to his own Perambur constituency after the victory as proof of his continuous presence. "I am not a man who only shows up during elections," Vijay told reporters, citing his seven‑to‑eight‑day campaign in Madhurantangam that stretched eight hours across every lane.
MK Stalin criticized Vijay’s tactics, noting that the CM had visited only 10 locations in the 2026 general elections and never stepped outside his vehicle. “He only drove to a few spots and stayed inside,” the party leader said. Udhayanidhi Stalin added that Vijay had only visited Madhurantangam twice before the BJP‑led campaign, yet now he was touring every street in the constituency for the bye‑elections. The DMK leaders mocked the CM’s tea‑shop stops and tractor rides as an attempt to “bend over backwards” to win votes.
In response, Vijay dismissed the criticism as a sign of mistrust. "What’s bothering you? I am already meeting my people all the time," he said, emphasizing that the DMK’s remarks were a political attack rather than a factual grievance. The confrontation has raised questions about how the DMK will adjust its outreach plans as the state election approaches.
The dispute is expected to influence the DMK’s campaign strategy in the coming weeks, with party officials likely to reassess their own voter engagement tactics ahead of the next election cycle. The outcome of this standoff may set a precedent for how candidates balance personal campaigning with party messaging in Tamil Nadu’s volatile political landscape.