Tamil Nadu: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and party president Vijay on Thursday accused “vested interests” of orchestrating a smear campaign against him, asserting that such attempts would fail. He made the remarks while addressing a massive public rally at Vijayamangalam in Erode district.
“This smear campaign by vested interests will not succeed,” Vijay said, receiving loud cheers from party supporters. The Erode rally marks his first major public appearance since the Karur tragedy on September 27, which had raised concerns over crowd safety at political events.
The rally was held under tight security and elaborate crowd management measures, reflecting TVK’s cautious approach following the earlier incident. The event is being seen as politically significant, particularly as the party seeks to strengthen its presence in western Tamil Nadu.
Strategic Choice of Venue
The venue itself carries political symbolism. The rally took place near the Vijayamangalam toll plaza on the Perundurai highway, located in the home district of Sengottaiyan, a former AIADMK leader who was recently expelled from his party and later joined TVK. Party leaders believe the Erode meeting offers an opportunity to project organisational strength in a region known for its influence on state politics.
Extensive Crowd and Security Arrangements
The rally ground was divided into 72 sections, each accommodating around 400 people. Four layers of barricades were erected, maintaining a buffer of nearly 50 metres between Vijay’s campaign vehicle and the crowd. The specially designed campaign van was reinforced with iron sheets to prevent any security breach.
To ensure safety and smooth movement, organisers installed 60 CCTV cameras and deployed drone surveillance to monitor pedestrian and vehicle flow. Fourteen separate entry and exit points were created, while parking facilities were arranged nearly a kilometre away, covering 20 acres for two-wheelers and 60 acres for four-wheelers.
Medical preparedness included 58 doctors and 14 ambulances stationed at the venue. Additionally, two lakh half-litre water bottles were arranged, along with 20 temporary drinking water tanks and 20 mobile toilet units.
Law and order duties were handled by 1,797 police personnel deployed across the area. TVK administrator Sengottaiyan personally inspected the arrangements ahead of the event.
Test of Organisational Strength
For TVK, the Erode rally is being closely watched as a test of its organisational capacity and crowd management abilities. Party leaders see the event as a crucial step in building momentum as the party prepares for future electoral battles in Tamil Nadu.