Director and producer SA Chandrasekhar on Sunday wrote to the Election Commission of India (EC) requesting them not to register his son Vijay‘s fan club as a political party.
His sudden withdrawal comes weeks after he had submitted an application to the EC to change the fan club into a political party, called All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. Though Chandrasekhar did not provide any reason for his withdrawal, The Times of India reported that opposition from his family forced him to change his decision.
On November 5, rumours that actor Vijay had started a political party began making rounds on social media and it was later revealed that Vijay’s father submitted an application to the EC to register Vijay’s fan club as a political party.
Immediately, Vijay issued a statement claiming that he was not associated with the party. “I will also like to inform that any actions he takes in the future through the party will not control me. I would like to ask my fans not to take part in the party or perform duties just because my father has started it. I want to inform that there is no connection between that party, us or our fan club,” he wrote.
Many speculated that there was a fallout between Vijay and his father, which was confirmed by Vijay’s mother Shoba. In an interview with Thanthi TV, she revealed that father and son were not on talking terms. Shoba, who was also nominated as the party’s treasurer, addressed her involvement and said, “A month back, SAC told me that he is creating an association and had asked for my signature. I thought it was good thing and signed. He asked me for another signature a week back. That’s when I understood that it was for registering a party. I told him that since you are doing this without Vijay’s knowledge, I will not give my signature. I also withdrew the first signature I had given.”
Chandrasekhar had initially claimed that he wanted Vijay’s fans to get some recognition for all the good work they have been doing. In an interview with News 18, he claimed that he started the Vijay Rasigar Mandram, Vijay’s fan club, in 1993. He said, “I didn’t start it after asking him. I wanted my son to reach the greatest heights. I wanted my son to become a great actor and I started it out of my own wish. After a while, that organisation became a welfare one. Then I changed it to an organisation for the people. I have been the founder of the organisation all these years. I didn’t ask Vijay when I started the organisation or kept changing it with time. I’ve been doing all this for his own good.”
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Over the past few years, Vijay has been more vocal about socio-political issues and has actively been voicing his views during events and in his movies, including Mersal and Sarkar. He even sported a nickname, CM, a strong indication of political desires in the movie Bigil. However, the actor has not actively taken part in politics.
Following Vijay’s statement regarding the All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, his fans pledged to stay away from the political party. Members of the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam convened a meeting on November 9, and vowed not to involve themselves with the party or any activity that could taint the actor’s image.