Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) held its second state conference at Parapathi, Madurai, with grand fanfare amid a lot of chaos too. The event was projected to be a turning point for the party, with Vijay himself addressing a massive crowd. However, the speeches delivered by the TVK leader once again revealed a troubling pattern – there was nothing new or original in his political rhetoric. As an actor, he acted in remakes that were blockbusters in Telugu and Malayalam – be it Ghilli, Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, Badri, Ninaithen Vandhai, etc. Now, he’s onto copying and lifting dialogues from other politicians, especially NTK’s Seeman.
The “Kutty Story” Lifted from NTK Chief Seeman’s Speeches
One of Vijay’s highlights at the Madurai conference was his much publicized ‘kutty story’ about a king testing ten generals with boiled paddy seeds. Nine faked their way with fresh seeds, while one candidate returned honestly with nothing grown, earning the king’s trust. Vijay used the story as a metaphor for honesty in politics, framing himself as the alternative leader people should trust.
But this was not new. The same tale, widely known as the Chinese parable The Emperor’s Seed, has been repeatedly narrated on stage by NTK chief Seeman over the years. Political observers and audiences familiar with Seeman’s speeches immediately recognized Vijay’s recycling of the anecdote.
விஜய் பெரிய அளவுக்குப் பணம் செலவு செய்து அருகில் வைத்திருப்பது, வியூக வகுப்பாளர்கள் அல்ல, நகல் இயந்திரங்கள் (Xerox machine). pic.twitter.com/Sy46ZXifTe
— கார்த்திகைச்செல்வன் (@Kaarthikaichelv) August 21, 2025
“Black Balloons” and the DMK-BJP Connection
Vijay also tried to attack the ruling DMK over its shifting stance toward the BJP. He spoke about how the DMK once released black balloons in protest but now appears soft after being raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He mocked the Chief Minister for changing colours once in power, claiming that pressure had turned the ruling party’s aggression into silence.
But once again, these very lines have been delivered by Seeman in his rallies. Seeman has for years accused the DMK of double standards when dealing with the BJP – militant in opposition, submissive in power. Vijay’s words in Madurai echoed those speeches almost verbatim, leaving little doubt about their source.
அண்ணன் சீமான் திமுகவை விமர்சித்து பேசியதை வீட்டிலிருந்து மனப்பாடம் செய்து வந்து மேடையில் ஒப்பித்த நடிகர் விஜய்! இதுக்கு எதுக்கு தனி கட்சி, பேசாம மறுபடியும் நடிக்க போகலாம்!#மக்களின்_குரலாக_சீமான் #தமிழகவெற்றிக்கழகம் pic.twitter.com/XxZu6ISBCE
— Alex(அலெக்ஸ்) (@Tamil2026) August 21, 2025
A Pattern of Repackaging
The Madurai event was meant to showcase Vijay’s originality as a political leader, but it instead reinforced the perception that TVK is running on borrowed political language. From Chinese folklore to Seeman’s rhetoric, Vijay’s speeches appear more like a patchwork of borrowed lines than fresh political vision.
Even fans present at the venue admitted the actor’s speeches carried little that they had not already heard before. What was intended as an inspiring debut instead revealed Vijay’s dependence on narratives crafted by others.
Nothing New to Offer?
With Tamil Nadu politics already saturated with strong personalities and sharp rhetoric, a new entrant is expected to provide fresh ideas or a different perspective. But Vijay’s conference speech showed a leader leaning heavily on recycled stories, lacking originality in both thought and expression.
The second state convention of TVK in Madurai thus raised more questions than it answered. If Vijay continues to parrot what others have said before, his political journey risks being dismissed as a mere performance, another script with nothing original to offer.
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