A hoarding of a Vijayakant film in Chennai. (AFP file picture)

Chennai, June 27: A superstar has given way to a lesser name on the PMK’s hitlist.

If Rajnikanth, whose fans had backed the BJP, incurred the party’s wrath before the Lok Sabha polls, Vijayakant is feeling the heat now.

The actor, who mostly plays the do-gooder in Tamil cinema, had told a gathering of fans at Kallakuruchi in Villipuram district: “Some become ministers even without contesting an election for their own gain.” The allusion was to PMK founder S. Ramadoss’ son Anbumani, who is now the Union health minister.

Anbumani, who did not contest the general elections, entered the Rajya Sabha recently with the DMK’s help.

PMK supporters, who had fled with reels of Rajnikanth-starrer Baba from cinemas, disrupting shows in several places, have now turned their glare on Vijayakant films. Effigies of the actor were burnt at several places in Villupuram.

The fan clubs did not waste time. They hit back by burning Ramadoss’ effigies. Tension erupted at Kullanchavadi and Kurinjipadi near Cuddalore after a PMK office was gutted.

After portraits of the PMK leaders, Ramadoss and his son, were destroyed in a fire, supporters blocked a road demanding action against the culprits.

PMK deputy general secretary and MLA T. Velmurugan claimed that police were slow to act on complaints against Vijayakant’s fans. “We feel that the Jayalalithaa (ADMK) government and the police are supporting the actor,” Velmurugan said.

The PMK, which allied with the DMK and the Congress, wiped out the BJP-ADMK alliance in the Lok Sabha polls.

Days ago, PMK supporters took away film rolls of Vijayakant-starrer Kshatriyan from a theatre at Vadalur. Yesterday, Vanniyar Sangam functionaries, who support the PMK, virtually stormed six theatres at Mayiladuthurai and warned the owners against screening Vijayakant films.

The vandalism and the threats came as the PMK asserted that an apology from the actor for his remarks against Anbumani would not be enough.

Vijayakant had said his only concern was that the contingent of a dozen Union ministers from Tamil Nadu should help resolve the state’s long-standing problems of the state but the PMK is not taking that.