In a provocative appeal that many have criticized as communally divisive, Senthil Vel a known Dravidianist sympathizer and former anchor of Maalai Murasu, now running the Tamil Kelvi YouTube channel openly urged minority voters, especially Christians, not to support actor-turned-politician Vijay in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Instead, he advocated for supporting the ruling DMK.
Senthil Vel’s core argument was rooted in fearmongering, he claimed that voting for anyone other than the DMK, including Vijay, would pave the way for the BJP’s entry into Tamil Nadu. This message, widely seen as an attempt to polarize voters along religious lines, has drawn backlash for promoting communal divisions under the guise of political analysis.
On social media platform X, he shared a video with the caption stating, “A must-watch video for those who want to vote for Vijay,”.
Senthilvel stated, “I want to emphasize to my minority brothers, especially to the Christians, that a party can only come to power if it secures 40% of the votes. To form a government in Tamil Nadu, it needs to obtain at least 35 to 40 percent of the votes. However, Vijay has no chance of achieving 40% of the votes in this election. His can get 8, 7, or 10 percent—that is his votes. You must understand that he cannot come to power; that is a fact. If you cast your vote for him out of curiosity, thinking that he is a Christian or symbolizes change, then you are effectively voting for the BJP and AIADMK. I want to clarify that I am not accusing him of being affiliated with the AIADMK or BJP. However, your vote for him could lead to the DMK losing 3,000 to 4,000 votes in a constituency, resulting in approximately 10 lost seats. If the AIADMK-BJP alliance is positioned to form a government in Tamil Nadu, and an AIADMK government is established with a BJP cabinet, then no god will be able to save Tamil Nadu afterward. The BJP will ruthlessly expand its hands. Modi said, “Just vote for me once in 2014.” Can we now remove them? No. Once they establish a foothold in Tamil Nadu, they cannot be removed. So, if you vote for Vijay out of curiosity, thinking it is just one vote, may he even be a good person. But if you grasp the reality that he will never be able to contest this election to win and form a government, and you vote from a realistic perspective, you will be making a wise decision. As you prepare to cast your vote, please remember Gujarat, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and the tragic fate of Stan Swamy, who was burned alive in a jeep. A pastor came to serve but was burned alive. Keep all of this in mind and cast your vote, as it will benefit you, me, Tamil Nadu, and India.”
விஜய்க்கு வாக்களிக்க விரும்புகிறவர்கள் அவசியம் காண வேண்டிய காணொளி pic.twitter.com/48FOR1bBfe
— Senthil (@Senthilvel79) June 7, 2025
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