Actor Vijay begins State-wide political tour with large rally in Tiruchi

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder and actor Vijay launched into his first State-wide political tour from Tiruchi on Saturday, launching a broadside in opposition to the “fascist” BJP authorities on the Centre and “poison” DMK authorities within the State.

Accusing the 2 events of “betraying” and “tormenting” the folks, Mr. Vijay, whereas talking in Tiruchi and Ariyalur, declared that the TVK’s goal was to free Tamil Nadu of poverty, nepotism, and corruption and usher in a real and conscientious democracy. The occasion in Tiruchi turned out to be an enormous present of power and an impromptu rally, which introduced components of metropolis to a standstill, as hundreds of social gathering cadre and followers marched with Mr. Vijay from the airport to Marakkadai, the place he addressed his supporters.

Addressing the gathering, he criticised the BJP for extending step-motherly therapy to Tamil Nadu. “The BJP can also be betraying us by way of the delimitation train by lowering the variety of Lok Sabha seats and the facility of south India,” he mentioned.

“The names of 65 lakh voters have been lacking from the electoral rolls in Bihar. As the Opposition phrases it, the ‘vote theft’ is simply an instance of the BJP’s lowly actions. The thought of ‘one nation-one election’ is an try and dislodge all State governments and maintain simultaneous elections because the BJP rule on the Centre is for certain to finish in 2029. It shall be nothing however homicide of democracy,” Mr. Vijay alleged.

Hitting out on the State authorities, he puzzled how lots of the DMK’s 2021 ballot guarantees have been fulfilled. “They listed 505 guarantees and Chief Minister M.Ok. Stalin claims to have fulfilled most of them. But that was removed from actuality,” he mentioned.

Listing varied pre-poll assurances akin to abolition of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the waiver of training loans, reintroduction of previous pension scheme, and filling vacancies in authorities, Mr. Vijay puzzled whether or not the DMK had stored the guarantees. “They promised to take action a lot. Did they? Will you vote for them?” he requested.

The TVK, if voted to energy, would by no means compromise on guaranteeing primary facilities for folks, security of girls, and regulation and order. “We will promise solely what we will do,” he mentioned.

In an indirect reference to the criticism in opposition to him for calling the Chief Minister ‘uncle’ on the Madurai State convention, he mentioned: “Our enemies abuse me and take offence even when I check with them reverentially.”

He likened his go to to Tiruchi to the yesteryear follow of providing prayers to the household deity earlier than going to struggle. “Anything that’s launched in Tiruchi is sure to be a turning level,” he mentioned, citing historic precedents akin to former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai selecting Tiruchi in 1956 to announce his entry into electoral politics and M.G. Ramachandran holding his social gathering’s first State convention within the metropolis. “Tiruchi has a wealthy historical past — Periyar lived right here — and town is thought for communal concord and being an academic hub,” he remarked.

Earlier, it took practically 5 hours for Mr. Vijay to journey 8 km to achieve the venue from the Tiruchi Airport, the place he had arrived from Chennai on a chartered flight. However, the occasion resulted in disappointment for hundreds of social gathering cadre and followers, who braved the sweltering warmth for over 5 hours, as a technical glitch within the audio system rendered most of his speech unintelligible.