A. Raja deletes post after backlash

AIADMK leader A. Raja deleted a social media post on May 22 after facing criticism over remarks aimed at the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, or VCK, and the Indian Union Muslim League, or IUML, that were described by critics as demeaning to women. (polimernews.com) Regional broadcaster Polimer News reported the deletion on X the same day, and screenshots of the post circulated online after it was removed. (x.com) The episode unfolded amid a charged political climate in Tamil Nadu, where VCK and IUML have been part of the post-election maneuvering that followed the Assembly vote earlier this month. VCK had publicly extended support to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government, alongside IUML, according to The Hindu’s reporting on government formation. (thehindu.com) ### What exactly was taken down? Polimer News said on May 22 that A. Raja deleted the post after backlash over comments made while criticizing VCK and IUML. The deletion, rather than a fresh statement, became the immediate development tracked by regional outlets and political accounts. (x.com) Screenshots of the removed post spread on Tamil-language news feeds after the original message was taken down. Those reposted images drove much of the public reaction because the post itself was no longer visible. ### Why were VCK and IUML part of Raja’s criticism? VCK and IUML entered the center of Tamil Nadu’s government-formation battle in May when both parties offered support to Vijay’s TVK as it moved to form a government. (thehindu.com) Thol. Thirumavalavan of VCK said at the time that his party had extended support to ensure TVK could form the government and to avoid President’s Rule, while maintaining its broader alliance position. (x.com) That backdrop helps explain why attacks on VCK and IUML carried political weight beyond a single social media post. The support of smaller parties and splinter groups has been closely watched since the Assembly confidence vote and the split inside AIADMK. (x.com) ### How quickly did the backlash build? May 22 was the key date in the public timeline. Polimer News flagged the deletion on X that day, and the issue moved through local political and media networks as screenshots circulated. (thehindu.com) Regional criticism came at a moment when AIADMK was already under pressure from an internal split after the confidence vote won by Vijay’s government. The Indian Express and The Hindu have both reported on rival AIADMK factions and the fallout from rebel legislators backing the government. (thehindu.com) ### How does this fit into the wider Tamil Nadu political moment? Tamil Nadu politics has remained unsettled since Vijay was sworn in as chief minister on May 10 and then won a confidence motion on May 13. VCK and IUML were among the parties whose support helped stabilize the new government in those early days. (x.com) AIADMK, by contrast, has been dealing with a visible internal rupture, with competing leaders and rebel legislators pulling in different directions after the election. That wider party conflict formed the backdrop to Raja’s now-deleted post and the reaction it drew online. (indianexpress.com) ### What comes next after the deletion? May 22 remains the last verified point in this episode: Raja’s post was deleted, and the deletion itself was reported publicly by Polimer News on X. No separate public clarification or apology was confirmed in the material reviewed. (thehindu.com) The next developments are likely to come through statements from AIADMK, VCK, IUML or Tamil regional broadcasters tracking the dispute. For now, the visible record is the deleted post, the screenshots that remained online, and the reaction that followed. (x.com) (indianexpress.com)