Chennai, Feb 10 Actor-turned-politician and founder of the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), Seeman, said on Monday that he will always oppose the ideology of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy.
Speaking to reporters in Trichy on Monday (February 10), Seeman alleged that voting machines were rigged in favour of the DMK candidate during the Erode East constituency elections.
“NTK needed just 1,000 more votes to retain our deposit, but despite the loss, we remain confident,” he said, expressing gratitude to those who voted for the party.
Seeman criticised the ruling DMK, claiming that the party could only win elections through multiple alliances. He also pointed out that while NOTA (None of the Above) received only 797 votes in the previous election, the number had risen to 6,000 in the recent polls, with independent candidates further splitting the votes.
He asserted his position as a “lone warrior” who does not require an army to succeed and reiterated that his political stance is firmly against Dravidian parties.
“I come from a Dravidian background, but now that I have clarity, I oppose their ideology. They are not driven by principles but by an agenda to exploit the people,” he claimed.
Seeman’s remarks have raised eyebrows, even within his party, as he previously identified as a Periyarist and largely refrained from openly criticising the social reformer.
Sources within NTK suggest that the shift in his stance was triggered by backlash from Dravidian ideologues following a speech he delivered on national poet Subramania Bharathi.
During an event marking Bharathi’s death anniversary in December 2024, Seeman highlighted that Bharathi, despite being a Brahmin, fought against caste discrimination and championed Tamil culture.
In contrast, he argued that Periyar had “insulted” the Tamil language and was wrongly portrayed as a saviour of Tamils. This stance led to significant criticism, culminating in a meeting of Dravidian supporters on January 5 to denounce Seeman’s views.
In response, Seeman doubled down on his opposition, particularly challenging Periyar’s controversial statements on social relationships. Seeman’s shift in ideology also ties into NTK’s broader political strategy. NTK’s state secretary, Karthigaichelvan, stated that the party aimed to challenge Periyar’s relevance in Tamil Nadu politics.
“After DMK’s major defeat in 2011, they sought to reassert Periyarist ideology to mask their internal struggles,” he claimed. “Our leader has now decided to dismantle that perception.”
He also noted that questions about electoral alliances and Periyar have been recurring concerns for NTK. While Seeman had previously indicated a desire to move past the topic, he has now committed to actively opposing Periyar’s ideology.
--IANS
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