T.N. CM Vijay, ministers condemn Stalin over alleged body-shaming of TVK’s Dharapuram candidate Sathyabama
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay on Saturday, October 3, 2026, condemned Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin over remarks made about TVK’s Dharapuram bypoll candidate P. Sathyabama during a campaign rally a day earlier. Several ministers in the TVK-led government also criticised Mr. Stalin, calling the comments a violation of political decorum and demeaning to women.
The remark at Dharapuram
Mr. Stalin’s comments came on Friday, October 2, while campaigning in support of DMK candidate S. Suganya in the Dharapuram (SC) Assembly constituency. Criticising Ms. Sathyabama for switching allegiance from the AIADMK to the TVK, he asked, “How did she manage to do a somersault with her body?” The remark drew swift backlash from TVK leaders, who accused the DMK chief of body-shaming the rival candidate.
Chief Minister’s censure
In a post on X, Mr. Vijay accused Mr. Stalin of “body-shaming” Ms. Sathyabama and “taking pleasure” from it. He further alleged that Mr. Stalin had “admitted and takes pride” that he was the one who created the DMK’s “aabasa nadhi [river of obscenity], vanma nadhi [river of hatred], and vakkira nadhi [river of perversion].”
“The DMK is anti-democratic. The people of Tamil Nadu have long been aware that obscenity, violence, and perversity are embedded in the DNA of the DMK. People of Tamil Nadu will certainly give an appropriate response to this ‘evil force’ that is adept at making obscene remarks about women,” Mr. Vijay said.
Ministers’ reactions
TVK ministers amplified the criticism, framing the remark as an affront to women and a breach of campaign ethics.
Health Minister K.G. Arunraj charged that Mr. Stalin had insulted women, “especially from Scheduled Castes,” with body-shaming language. Calling the comments contrary to political decorum, he demanded a public apology.
Minister for Energy Resources and Law C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar said DMK leaders had “made it their practice to repeatedly make derogatory remarks about women.” Describing the alleged body-shaming as the “height of frustration,” he said it was “strongly condemnable.” He added: “This is the true face of the DMK, which delivers long speeches on feminism and the revolutionary ideas of its ideological leaders. The people have clearly understood this, and the DMK will no longer receive public support.”
Minister for School Education Rajmohan asked, “Is making derogatory remarks about women what the DMK’s politics is all about?” He said, “Insulting remarks about women do not affect only individuals; they demean the self-respect and dignity of women as a whole. If you think that insulting women on the political stage will earn applause, that is not a victory in politics but a decline in political culture.”
Industries Minister S. Keerthana said it was “truly disheartening” to hear such remarks from “someone who had held the highest office in the State.” She added, “When the guardian of the party himself makes such statements, what can we expect from the rest of the DMK leadership? Repeatedly making derogatory remarks about women in public forums and attempting to demean their dignity is absolutely condemnable.”
Ministers T.K. Prabhu, Vanni Arasu, M. Vijay Balaji, R. Vinoth, and D. Logesh Tamilselvan also issued statements condemning Mr. Stalin’s reported remarks. BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan joined the criticism, saying the DMK had learned no lesson from recent electoral defeats.
Complaint to the Election Commission
Separately, the TVK lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission against Mr. Stalin. In a petition to Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik, Aadhav Arjuna—TVK’s general secretary (election campaign management) and Minister for Public Works—alleged that Mr. Stalin’s words violated the Model Code of Conduct. The complaint sought the immediate cancellation of Mr. Stalin’s star campaigner status and urged the Commission to direct the District Returning Officer to file a First Information Report under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998.
Speaking later to reporters at the Secretariat, Mr. Arjuna said the DMK was unable to “digest the victory of the TVK” and was resorting to personal attacks, particularly targeting women.
Significance
The controversy adds to the increasingly acrimonious tone of campaigning in the Dharapuram (SC) bypoll, sharpening the political divide between the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK. With multiple ministers and allies closing ranks behind the Chief Minister’s censure and the matter now before the Election Commission, the episode has become a flashpoint in the ongoing contest over campaign civility and the treatment of women in public life.
