'Delhi Leaders Can't Read The Minds Of Tamil Nadu People'

'The BJP is projected as a party that follows Hindu politics, talking about religion, gods and goddess all the time.'
'People of Tamil Nadu are not bothered about religion in politics.'
'That is why Tamil Nadu people do not encourage the BJP.'

It has not been a good time for movie superstar turned politician Vijay and his Thamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam party.

In September 2025, 41 people were crushed to death, and many injured at a TVK rally in Karur, which Vijay addressed. TVK members and Vijay's fans were shocked when Vijay did not meet the injured or families who had lost their loved ones in the tragedy and instead flew to Chennai that evening.

Then came a storm in his personal life. After 26 years of marriage, his wife Sangeetha filed for divorce in February, 2026 citing 'infidelity' and 'mental cruelty' as reasons.

Soon after she filed the case, Vijay made an appearance with Trisha, the actress he is believed to have a relationship with.

What angered many including his party members was the way Vijay reacted to his marriage at a rally on Women's Day. He reportedly said, 'Those matters are not worth it, so please don't hurt yourselves over them.'

One TVK member who reacted to Vijay's comments is actor-politician Ranjana Nachiyar who resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party last year, protesting against the BJP's 3 language policy.

"When even positions are not filled, when even the booths are not filled, by just looking at the stardom of the leader, you cannot say the party will come second or it will be the main Opposition party," Ranjana Nachiyar tells Rediff's Shobha Warrier in the concluding segment of a two-part interview.

• Part 1 of the Interview: 'Vijay Is Not Accessible Even To His Parents'

Do you think the way Vijay spoke at the rally, after his wife cited 'infidelity' and 'mental cruelty causing immense emotional pain' as reasons for filing for divorce, will have an impact in the minds of people?

Everybody has a personal life and face problems too.

But as a leader, you should be careful about what you say especially when you are going to contest an election.

My point is, you handle your personal problems with Sangeeta privately. But you can't give a statement that 'it is not worth it'.

Will it have an impact on women voters?

Not the divorce case, but what he said on stage will have an impact.

Of course, women will have a negative feeling for Vijay and the party. That is what bothers me.

Will you continue in this party?

See, I am not doing anything wrong. I just want to correct the party.

I don't want the party or the leader to spoil young minds. That's all

You said it was suffocating...

I am suffocating. So many people are also suffocating. At least I can vent it out by raising questions.

'Women have to be strong to be in politics'

You spoke about patriarchy in politics. Is it there in every party?

It is there everywhere.

Women have to be very strong to be in politics.

How difficult it is for a woman to be in politics?

It is very difficult and challenging but also interesting.

It is interesting for me as I keep fighting for our rights, for dignity, for respect, for a position in politics. We have to fight for everything; without fighting we can't gain anything.

Because I am from Rani Velu Nachiyar's family, fighting for our rights is in my blood.

Did you feel the same in the BJP when you were with the BJP?

Because it is a national party, we had to face many, many, issues there.

Even in the BJP we had to fight for our rights because all the leaders are men.

They don't let women come up because they fear every woman will become a Jayalalithaa!

That is the Tamil Nadu slogan; that they should not let every woman become a Jayalalithaa. That is the mentality of men here.

I feel every woman in Tamil Nadu is a Jayalalithaa or a Rani Velu Nachiyar.

When there are so many leaders in the BJP, here there is only one Vijay.

'Tamil Nadu leaders don't communicate well with the Delhi leadership'

You resigned from the BJP protesting against the three language formula and imposition of Hindi.
When you were with the BJP, did you get the feeling that they did not understand the pulse of Southern India or regional politics?

Definitely. Actually, Delhi leaders cannot read the minds of Tamil Nadu people.

Tamil Nadu leaders don't communicate well with the Delhi leadership.

I feel communication is the biggest issue. If they address the issues of the people of Tamil Nadu in a proper way, the BJP can definitely succeed.

Not just Hindi, the BJP is projected as a party that follows Hindu politics, talking about religion, gods and goddess all the time.

People of Tamil Nadu are not bothered about religion in politics.

That is why Tamil Nadu people do not encourage the BJP. That is the main drawback of the party.

Annamalai is a very good leader. I admire him a lot. He is a person with no political background but he groomed the party well. He has taken the party to all the villages.

The villagers know Annamalai but they do not know the BJP. Do you know what they say in the villages, oh, the Annamalai party!

As a member of the TVK, what do you think is the kind of impact the TVK will have in the assembly elections?

This election is not about winning, it is for an experience.

Even the cadres are new to the party except Sengottiyan Anna (he resigned from the AIADMK and joined the TVK recently), and new to politics.

They have not seen anything in Tamil Nadu politics. So, the assembly election is going to be a test for all of them.

'The DMK alliance is very strong'

Some political observers say that the TVK would come second in the election...

When even positions are not filled, when even the booths are not filled, by just looking at the stardom of the leader, you cannot say the party will come second or it will be the main opposition party.

People talk like that when they have no idea about politics.

There are two strong parties in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK and the DMK. And the DMK alliance is very strong.

The NDA is also strong.

Then there is the third, the NTK (Naam Tamilar Kachi), Seeman's party.

All these parties are fighting for so many years.

That's why I feel this election is a test for the TVK.

It will be a completely new experience for the party and the leader.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff