With just days to go before the Tamil Nadu elections this Thursday, DMK's Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson lashed out at TVK chief and former actor Vijay after the latter went viral for kneeling and praying in a church before campaigning for Trichy East.
Calling the viral video a "photo-op", Wilson criticised the actor-politician for his last-minute election measures, saying that doing so "will not make Christians trust you".
"Where were you when they burnt churches, arrested priests and nuns on fake charges, disturbed Christmas and Easter masses with hooligans?" the Rajya Sabha MP pointed out, alleging that Vijay was only "pretending" to stand for Christians.
"When the BJP brought the draconian FCRA Amendment Act to liquidate Christian missionaries and seize their properties did you remember your duty? What prevented you from speaking out?" he added.
In the viral video, Vijay—who is contesting the 2026 elections under the official name 'C. Joseph Vijay'—can be seen kneeling and moving forward during a prayer at St Anthony's Church in Tiruchirapalli East, ahead of the TVK's campaign there.
Trichy East is one of the two constituencies from where Vijay is contesting the Assembly elections, with the other being the northern seat of Perambur—both of which have a sizeable Christian minority population.
Indeed, while the aim for the TVK has always been to get an edge at the state capital with the Perambur seat, the Trichy seat is expected to solidify his chances by splitting the minority Christian votes.
This is not only due to its large working-class and minority population, but also because Vijay has called out the anti-incumbency wave and corruption under the DMK rule here.
All 234 constituencies in the state will go to the polls on Thursday, with the results to be declared on May 4.