Crowds swell for TVK chief Vijay’s Trichy campaign; constable hurt during security duty

TRICHY: A police constable deployed on security duty was injured during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay’s election campaign in Tiruchirappalli on Thursday, as large crowds gathered for his roadshow and nomination filing. The injured officer has been identified as Satish. He was part of the bandobust arrangement at Marakkadai Junction near Gandhi Market, where Vijay addressed supporters and conducted campaign activities.A case has been registered. Thousands of fans turned up as the actor-turned-politician filed his nomination from the Trichy East constituency. This is the second seat he is contesting, having earlier filed his nomination from Perambur on 30 March. Vijay is set to face Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidates RD Sekar in Perambur and Inigo S Irudayaraj in Trichy East. Supporters gathered in large numbers at Tiruchirappalli Airport to welcome him, with a party carcade accompanying the leader ahead of his scheduled events in the city. The campaign comes amid political tensions, with an FIR recently filed against Vijay over alleged election code violations.

The TVK has, however, accused the police and the DMK of bias ahead of the polls. The Perambur constituency was historically considered a stronghold of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) until 2016. RD Sekar has represented the seat since winning a by-election in 2019. Vijay unveiled his party’s manifesto on 30 March, outlining welfare and development measures. Addressing a press conference in Chennai, he stressed his vision for a drug-free and self-reliant Tamil Nadu. He said anti-drug protection zones" will be established in all schools and colleges across the state. "Our primary goal is to create a drug-free Tamil Nadu," he asserted. He also assured that all government examinations will be conducted on time without delays.