Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP National President J P Nadda and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka are among the top political leaders who condoled the death of actor-politician and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijayakanth on Thursday.
Mr Modi said Vijayakant’s death has left a void that will be hard to fill.
“As a political leader, the Prime Minister said Vijayakant was deeply committed to public service, and has left a lasting impact on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape”, he added.
Mr Amit Shah said Vijayakant had kindled patriotism through his films.
In his message, Mr Amit Shah said ‘Captain’ Vijayakant kindled patriotism among the people through his films and off-screen persona.”
He said he was deeply saddened by the death of the senior actor and offered his deepest condolences to the leader’s family and fans.
Ms Nirmala Sitharaman said Vijayakanth was known as a “man with a golden heart”.
She also offered her deepest condolences to his fans and DMDK cadres.
Mr Nadda said he was deeply pained by the passing away of senior political leader Vijayakanth.
He said the former actor was highly passionate about the craft of filmmaking as well as public service and made a significant mark in both the fields. “He will be remembered for his sincere commitment and dedication towards the betterment of people’s lives,” Nadda added and extended his heartfelt condolences to Vijayakant’s family and followers.
Senior Congress leader and Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi said Vijayakant’s contributions to cinema,politics have left an indelible mark.
Mr Rahul Gandhi said he was deeply saddened by the demise of DMDK founder Vijayakanth. “His contributions to cinema and politics have left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions. My heartfelt condolences to his family and fans during this difficult time,” he said.
Hailing Vijayakanth as a great artiste, a people’s hero and a human being with golden heart, Congress General Secretary Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offered her condolences to Vijayakant’s family and all those who loved and believed in him.
“A great artist, a people’s hero and a human being with a heart of gold, ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth will always be remembered with respect and admiration,” she said.
A slim, dark coloured Vijayakanth, however, had a rustic charm and somehow reaped phenomenal success first in the film world, and subsequently in politics.
Tributes also poured in from Tamil film fraternity with a host of personalities offered their condolences and recalled the contributions of Vijayakanth as an actor, as President of South Indian Film Artistes Association, his various welfare measures for the tamil film artistes and technicians and as a nice human being.
An actor philanthropist, who briefly altered TN’s bipolar political landscape, Vijayakanth virtually emerged a third force, as an alternative to the DMK and AIADMK and boldly took on both the dravidian majors singlehandedly who had been dominating the Tamil Nadu’s political scenario by ruling the state alternatively.
Unlike his contemporaries and actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, who wavered, Vijayakanth took a political plunge once he decided and launched his party Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam in 2005 and rattled stalwarts M.Karunanidhi and J.Jayalalithaa by emerging as a third force in 2006. His emergence saw Karunanidhi leading a minority government in Tamil Nadu with the support of allies–mainly Congress–between 2006 and 2011.
In this 2011 Assembly polls, Vijayakanth allied with Ms Jayalalithaa and emerged as the Leader of the Opposition winning 29 of 41 seats the DMDK had contested, though the alliance was short-lived.
