Days after DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin sparked controversy with his double-entendre remarks about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s close associate Trisha, the party’s mouthpiece has indirectly targeted the actor over her attendance at an official Independence Day function.
In a strongly worded editorial published in Murasoli, the DMK criticised Vijay for having Trisha seated in the front row and exchanging salutes with her during the Independence Day celebrations at Fort St George on Saturday. The editorial described the episode as a “shameful spectacle” that lacked propriety.
It said that on Independence Day, Chief Minister Vijay’s dignity had “flown away in the wind”, accusing him of allowing an actress to sit in the front row and repeatedly exchanging salutes with her. The editorial claimed the scene was difficult to accept even for those who had voted for him.
Trisha was seated beside Vijay’s parents in the front row during the Tamil Nadu government’s Independence Day celebrations. Wearing a yellow saree, she was seen saluting Vijay as he hoisted the national flag and inspected the ceremonial proceedings.
Her appearances at significant official events have sparked considerable discussion. She had earlier attended Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony in May, where she was seen becoming emotional.
Vijay and Trisha’s friendship has been the subject of speculation and gossip for years, particularly amid widely reported tensions in his marriage.
Vijay’s wife, Sangeetha, filed for divorce in February 2026, shortly before the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Her petition cited mental cruelty, emotional neglect, desertion and alleged adultery as grounds for divorce. However, she withdrew the petition earlier this month.
Against this backdrop, the viral moments involving Trisha and Vijay during the Independence Day event provided fresh material for the DMK to target the Chief Minister. The editorial accused Vijay of openly displaying what it described as “shameful and repulsive behaviour”.
It further claimed that even Vijay’s supporters could not accept his decision to invite an actress to the Independence Day function and exchange salutes with her.
The latest criticism indicates that the DMK continues to be angered by the arrest of Udhayanidhi Stalin. The Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition was arrested on August 4 following remarks widely viewed as derogatory towards Trisha, prompting strong criticism from the ruling TVK. He was granted bail later that day.
As the DMK continues to target Trisha in an apparent attempt to undermine Vijay’s public image, the developments have also echoed comments made by former BJP leader K Annamalai.
Speaking at the India Today Tamil Nadu Roundtable in Chennai on Monday, Annamalai said certain political parties continued to rely on old tactics such as “abusing”, “pulling in a lady” and “pulling in a mother” to settle political disputes.
He added, in an apparent reference to Stalin Jr., that some political leaders from dynastic families had failed to recognise that the political landscape had changed.
