Campaigning in Karaikudi, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said elections should not be treated like cinema, urging people—especially children influenced by social media “reels”—to understand the difference between fantasy and real public life.
He said he was not a “cinema person” and therefore did not need a crowd that thrives on pushing and jostling. While publicity has a place in politics, he argued that publicity alone should not become a political career.
Karti also said he came without any bouncers and that Karaikudi did not need a “bouncer culture”. Calling the town peaceful with its own character, he asked voters to think about who would maintain calm and who could bring disorder.
Drawing comparisons, he said M.K. Stalin became Chief Minister only after years of political experience, while he criticised how Edappadi K. Palaniswami rose to the post during the Jayalalithaa era and noted that the AIADMK lost three elections under his leadership. He added that even for a driver’s job, experience and a licence are checked, and questioned why such scrutiny should not apply to those seeking the Chief Minister’s post.
