Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday took a swipe at Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, remarking that “governance offers no retakes” — in a pointed reference to the actor-politician’s film career.“Governance is not easy. I have governed for about 20 years, and I can say it is not a simple task. In governance, there are no retakes,” Chidambaram said during a roadshow in Sivaganga. He was referring to his decades-long political career, during which he held key portfolios such as home and finance, among others, in various Congress-led governments at the Centre.“In cinema, if a scene doesn’t come out well, the director can ask for another take. But in administration, that’s not possible. Once a decision is made, there is no retake. The decision stands as it is,” the senior Congressman added.Vijay, a superstar in Tamil cinema, launched TVK in February 2024. The party is contesting all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, where assembly elections will be held on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.Meanwhile, Chidambaram also criticised Vijay for skipping his scheduled speech at Friday’s election rally in Karaikudi.“He left without even speaking. How is that acceptable? Politics is about speaking, isn’t it? He has not met the press. He is not interacting with the people either. Look at me, I come to you. I have served as home minister and finance minister. I travel alone by car. Every time I come, I am ready to speak. I am always prepared for a debate if there is one,” the Rajya Sabha MP stated.According to TVK sources, Vijay could not address the rally due to a delay in reaching Karaikudi from Madurai, a distance of around 100 km. They attributed the delay to “massive crowds” along the route, pushing his arrival at the venue back by nearly four hours.By the time his convoy reached the venue, the official time permitted by the police for the event had expired, forcing the TVK chief to briefly wave to the crowd before leaving.
