- TVJ chief Vijay cancelled part of his Chennai campaign, citing security lapses
- His convoy faced severe delays covering 5 km in nearly two hours
- TVK accused Chennai Police and DMK of deliberately obstructing the campaign
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay's campaign trail witnessed high-voltage drama on Monday, as he abruptly cancelled part of his scheduled outreach in Chennai, citing serious lapses in security arrangements for both the public and his convoy.
The actor-turned-politician filed his nomination to contest from the Perambur constituency around 12:15 pm and began his campaign shortly after, around 1:05 pm, much earlier than the scheduled 2 pm start.
However, delays soon disrupted the campaign. It took nearly two hours for his convoy to cover just about 5 km from Perambur to Kolathur. He reached the second campaign point only around 3:37 pm. Despite the delay, a massive crowd gathered in Kolathur and gave him a grand reception.
The TVK alleged that inadequate police deployment led to traffic congestion and poor crowd management, resulting in the convoy being stranded for long durations. The party has accused officials of deliberately creating hurdles at the ruling DMK's instructions.
TVK joint secretary Nirmal Kumar has written to the Election Commission of India, urging immediate intervention and action against the Chennai Police Commissioner and other officials over alleged security lapses.
Citing safety concerns, especially in the wake of the recent Karur stampede incident, the TVK leadership decided to cancel the final leg of Vijay's campaign in Villivakkam. The party's local in-charge later apologised to supporters who had gathered there in large numbers.
Meanwhile, the DMK has strongly denied all allegations. Spokesperson TKS Elangovan stated that the EC holds complete authority during the election period and dismissed the accusations as baseless.
Adding to the political heat, TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna made serious allegations, claiming that Chief Minister M.K Stalin intended to create a situation similar to the Karur tragedy by deliberately delaying Vijay's movement.
TVK representatives are expected to meet the Chief Electoral Officer again on March 31 to raise concerns over repeated issues faced during Vijay's campaign.
