MDMK Deputy General Secretary Mallai C.E. Sathya has strongly refuted party general secretary Vaiko’s recent accusation that he betrayed him. Visibly emotional and with tears in his eyes during a media interview, Sathya expressed deep pain over being labelled a traitor by a leader he once loyally served for decades.

In a detailed statement released on Monday, Sathya said he was deeply hurt by Vaiko’s televised remarks made on July 10, where he had likened Sathya’s actions to the betrayal of LTTE leader Prabhakaran by Mathaiya. “Such a comparison is not only unfair but deeply wounding,” Sathya wrote. “I ask the people and cadres with conscience—have I acted like Mathaiya? If I have ever betrayed my leader, let the very justice of Ilango Adigal’s Silappadikaram strike me down.”

Breaking his silence after five days, Sathya appealed to Vaiko to refrain from making sweeping accusations against loyal party workers. He revealed that he had initially declined the post of deputy general secretary in May 2023 due to internal disagreements within the party, but later accepted it only at Vaiko’s personal insistence.

Sathya also claimed that he had endured repeated humiliation over the past three years from a few individuals within the party, while the leadership remained silent. This, he said, had left him disillusioned and hurt. “Despite this, I never spoke against the party or its leadership. Even during my recent engagements representing MDMK in the United Kingdom, I took pride in speaking about the party and Vaiko,” he added.

However, he said public criticism by Vaiko’s son and party leader Durai Vaiko had forced him to respond. Sathya maintained that his actions were never intended to harm the party, and reiterated his commitment to its core principles. “I have never wished ill for MDMK. I only seek fairness and recognition for sincere efforts,” he said.

Sathya’s heartfelt statement comes as the MDMK faces internal strains and growing differences between senior leaders, raising questions about unity within the party as it gears up for the next phase of Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.