A handgun scare – a man, who claimed to be from Tamil Nadu, detained after police found a revolver on him – and a promise to the people of Puducherry marked actor-politician Vijay's first outdoor public event since 41 died in the stampede in Tamil Nadu's Karur in September.
Vijay's fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will make it electoral debut in next year's Tamil Nadu and Puducherry elections and, in his first public campaign meeting in the union territory, fired a barrage of attacks at Tamil Nadu's DMK.
These included a jab over the Karur stampede; Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy, he declared, had provided 'full security' for his rally. "It will be good if Tamil Nadu's DMK regime learns from impartial Puducherry government. They will, however, not learn now," he declared.
"The DMK regime will 100 per cent learn their lesson in the election…" Vijay said.
The reference was to a fierce spat between the TVK and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam over the Karur stampede. The former has accused the latter of failing to provide enough security to stop the crowd rush; days after the crush Vijay accused DMK boss and Chief Minister MK Stalin of 'taking revenge'. The latter, meanwhile, accused Vijay of failing to follow police instructions before the stampede, including not arriving as late as he did and parking his away from the crowd.
Puducherry police initially denied Vijay permission for a roadshow citing cramped streets and narrow lanes, but then granted approval with several strict conditions, including limiting attendance to only 5,000 people, each of whom were to be issued QR codes by the party.
And 800 cops were deployed to maintain order, NDTV was told.
The TVK and DMK appear set to be fierce rivals for next year's elections, with both sides having categorically ruled out any pre-poll alliance. Vijay, in fact, has also spurned any deal with any other established political party and will, for now, contest his round of polls solo.
He has openly called the DMK his "political enemy" and the Bharatiya Janata Party his "ideological enemy". He has not, however, bestowed such an epithet on the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, leading to persistent speculation of some understanding.
He has, however, signed up expelled AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan, whose vast political influence and experience will, he hopes, shore up the TVK's first ever election.
Meanwhile, at Tuesday's rally, Vijay also pitched for statehood for Puducherry, arguing only that could ensure the development needed to transform it into a 'leading industrial hub'.
He also assured the people of Puducherry that his party and he would always stand with them.
"I will always stand with the people of Puducherry and, in the coming election, the flag of our party will surely fly here,” he declared as he addressed his first major public rally in the UT.
"Puducherry has no ration shops… the supply of rice and essential items should be streamlined," he said, also batting for local fishermen who inadvertently stray into Sri Lankan waters and are arrested. "This must change," the actor, who is popular in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala, all three of which will vote early next year, said.
