MK Stalin, President of the Opposition party in Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), launched a sharp verbal attack on the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Saturday. He called the Vijay-led party a ‘breaking bad party,’ after one of its functionaries was arrested in a major drug trafficking case.
Criticising the TVK via an official ‘X’ post, the former Chief Minister (CM) of the state alleged that the arrest had raised serious questions about the TVK’s conduct and its public stance on tackling the sale, as well as the distribution of narcotics.
His post read, “TVK is not just a bad party, but a breaking bad party,” which appeared to be a swipe at the organisation which had entered into the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.
MK Stalin (Left) and TN CM Vijay (Right)
TVK functionary arrested over 135 kg Methamphetamine
Stalin claimed that Boopalan, a functionary of the TVK from Nagapattinam district, who serves as the party’s election in-charge for the Kilvelur Assembly Constituency, had been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), an agency led by the Union government.
As per Stalin’s claims, a preliminary probe indicated that the functionary was allegedly possessing 135 kgs of methamphetamine, a powerful synthetic stimulant.
He then drew a contrast between the alleged seizure and public statements on combating drug menace, questioning the apparent contradiction between political messaging and the allegations shrouding the arrest.
TVK functionary who was arrested with drugs
He said, “While the Chief Minister has been lecturing from public stages about the eradication of drugs, initial investigations reveal that the TVK member was hiding 135 kilograms of methamphetamine.”
Stalin’s strong verbal attack has added a fresh political dimension to the case, while the Opposition has voiced demands for investigators to examine the broader network allegedly linked to the seized narcotics.
What are Stalin’s demands?
The DMK president emphasised that the probe should not end with the arrest of a single person. He pleaded with authorities to identify other people who may have been involved in the alleged trafficking of drugs.
He said, “When such a large quantity of narcotics is seized in a single raid, authorities must identify how many others are behind them and encircle the entire network.”
Furthermore, he accused the TVK of developing a negative reputation within just 5 months of entering politics, claiming that the latest development had damaged its image further.
TN CM Vijay and the arrested TVK functionary in a single frame
Stalin draws parallels with TV series ‘Breaking Bad’
Stalin’s choice of words appeared to have drawn inspiration from the popular television series, Breaking Bad, which features a chemistry teacher. The teacher later becomes involved in the manufacture and sale of drugs.
Using the reference, Stalin delivered a pointed message to the TVK leadership, warning that the political row could soon turn serious. He further wrote in his official ‘X’ post, “Are you scared? It’s going to get much more terrifying as we go on.”
Continuing his statements, he suggested that CM Vijay should avoid relying on punchlines when discussing serious issues such as drug trafficking.