Remembering Vijayakant’s grand political debut at Madurai in 2005
On August 21, 2025, the second state conference of the actor-religious politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Kazhagam in Parapathi on the skirts of Madurai, was mostly attracted fans from all over Tamil Nadu. The political demonstration aroused the memories of a similar power demonstration in Madurai about twenty years ago, and another actor-Politicist Vijayakant (later as Vijayakanth) started his political party.
Known for love as ‘captain’, a nickname from the hit movie Captain Prabhakaranand celebrated as ‘puraatchi kalaignar’ [revolutionary artist] Vijayakant, a 54 -year -old matinee idol with 148 films for the Crusader roles in the films, entered politics with a well -planned movement. He had gradually fed the relationship of his fans in a political power.
Fans’ Association’s transformation into party
In a daily report in March 2005, in this daily report, he said that the celebrations held in the districts to mark the silver jubile of his fans were platforms to prepare for the political exit. Vijayakant, a meticulous planner, was known for his organization skills. As the President of the Southern Indian Film Artists Association (Nadigar Sangam), he organized overseas show shows in Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai.
He configured his fans’ association like a political outfit, forums for students and youth wings and farmers and defenders. With this floor, when he announced his party, he already had an organization base and had to turn the existing apparatus into a political party.
Announcement
Everything officially began at a press conference on June 1, 2005, where he promised to explain his party’s name and ideology at the first state conference in Madurai. After a month, Hindu ‘On July 7, 2005, the correspondent, while controlling the arrangements for the conference in Thoppur in Madurai, “We do not want to enter any alliance. I do not think that no party will offer us to support us. The problem of a third front does not emerge. This party will only face parliamentary elections.”
Actor-Politicist Vijayakant, in a speech with Hindu in Madurai on 12 September 2005, two days before the start of his party in Tamil Nadu in the city during a conference at the state level | Photo Loan: S. James
“My fans are already in public service,” he replied to the question of whether there will be any training program to transform fans into political cadres.Narpani Mandrams. ‘The distribution of welfare aid to the needy, the scholarships to poor children and to organize free marriages are regular features. “
Hymen conference
On September 14, 2005, in the midst of great fans, Vijayakant’s party name – desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam – and more than two people attended the first political conference in Madurai, where he introduced the flag.
At the conference, he said he would focus on establishing basic opportunities such as shelter, electricity and protected drinking water in all villages and propose to eliminate corruption. According to him, corruption may have been eliminated, but no government gave it a serious idea. It also provided quality medical care and minimizing the problem of unemployment.
Actor Vijayakant, political party ‘DESIA MURPOKKU DRAVIDA KAZHAGAM’ The party’s first state conference in Madurai on 14 September 2005 | Photo Loan: S. James
Promise
He said that his party would apply 33 percent for women and allocate 33 percent of the 234 parliamentary seats in the 2006 parliamentary elections to women. In addition, if his party voted for power, he promised a six -month paid birth leave for women in state service.
He claimed that the major political parties had exploited caste to strengthen their voting banks, and called on to establish a society -free society by creating awareness to pour differences between people and participate in the hands that cut off the community lines.
Vijayakant also announced that his party will work to provide quality education for everyone. According to him, no student should be rejected to ask for money. “Although Tamil is our mother tongue, we should not prevent young people from learning other languages that will help you to get employment outside the state.” Hindu He reported Vijayakant’s speech from the conference.
DESIA MURPOKKU DRAVIDA KAZHAGAM in Madurai on 14 September 2005 at the first state level of the conference of Vijayakant (later written as Premalatha) | Photo Loan: S. James
He also said that it has brought a friendly solution to the disputes between the neighbors and the negotiations to share the river waters and the disagreements between the Southern states and that the rivers have become obligatory.
Vijayakant’s political guru
Vijayakant also described MG Ramachandran (MGR), the actor-religious politician who continued to become the Minister of Tamil Nadu (1977-87) and all India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). He also remembered that former Prime Minister S. Janaki gave him the campaign vehicle used by MGR.
Although there are speculation that the DMDK will be compatible with some parties to confront the 2006 Assembly elections, Vijayakantan at a meeting to mark 89th On January 17, 2006, the anniversary of the MGR in Chennai declared that his party would go alone, promising a corruption government in rural areas, eliminating poverty, abolition of unemployment and urban facilities.
Door delivery of ration
His party said that if he was voted for power, he would ensure that ration goods are delivered at the gate of people. He said that the same thing could do for rational items when it is possible to deliver LPG filling and drinking water boxes home by responding to those who mocked because they said this.
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam’s first state -level conference is a crowded part of the party during the launch of the party’s Tamil player in Madurai on 14 September 2005 | Photo Loan: S. James
During the election campaign phase, when Vijayakant set out on a tour of the state, many people met to see him and listen to his speeches in some parts of North and South Tamil Nadu.
First election performance
In the elections, the party fought in 232 of 234 election zones, but 33% of the tickets were not given to women as promised. Vijayakant successfully objected to the seat of the Vriddachalam Assembly, destroyed 61,337 votes and defeated R. Govindasamy, who was sitting from the PMK with 13,777 votes. Although he was the only representative of his party in the Assembly, the DMDK questioned a significant vote of approximately 8.38%.
Published – 27 August 2025 05:00 IST
