From massive roadshows to last minute cancellations, Vijay’s campaign sees uneven momentum ahead of Tamil Nadu Polls

With just over a week left for Tamil Nadu to vote on April 23, campaigning has picked up speed. But for Vijay and his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, repeated cancellations of rallies have raised questions at a crucial time.

Multiple campaign events cancelled

The campaign for the April 23 Tamil Nadu election is at its peak, with just eight days left for canvassing activities. But Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has cancelled several events where its leader Vijay was to reach out to voters. While some feel meeting voters directly in the final days is important, sources in the party say Vijay has been very careful about attending public events after the Karur stampede tragedy, as per reported by NDTV. 

Since the election dates were announced on March 15, Vijay has cancelled many campaign events even after getting permission from the Election Commission. The party has not clearly explained the reasons for these sudden cancellations.

Limited campaigning and gaps

The 52 year old actor, who is one of the main faces of this election, filed his nomination on March 30. He then campaigned in Perambur, where he is contesting, and also in Kolathur. A planned event in Villivakkam was cancelled, with TVK blaming security lapses by the police.

As per the report, Vijay campaigned in Tiruchirappalli East on April 2 and in Puducherry on April 4. After this, there was a gap of four days with no campaign activity.

A roadshow in T Nagar and Villivakkam on April 6 was also cancelled, with the party saying there was not enough time. TVK has also accused the police of limiting campaign time.

Travel and safety concerns

Vijay held a large roadshow in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi on April 8, but cancelled his April 9 event in Cuddalore. Sources say travel issues, including a 175 kilometre journey through Puducherry where voting was taking place, and safety concerns were the reasons.

He also cancelled his April 11 event in Cuddalore and the April 13 meeting in Tiruvallur. He is now expected to campaign in Kanniyakumari on April 13 and Pudukottai on April 14.

Candidates find new ways to campaign

Vijay is the biggest campaign face of his party, which is contesting elections for the first time. During his speeches, he has asked voters to see all TVK candidates as his representatives. But because he has missed many events, party candidates are finding other ways to campaign.

For example, Tiruverumbur candidate Navalpattu Viji used Vijay’s cut out, while Kolathur candidate VS Babu brought in a lookalike to attract voters.

Impact of Karur Stampede

Sources in TVK say Vijay is being very careful about large gatherings after the Karur stampede, where 41 people died during one of his events last year. The party had faced criticism over poor management.

Opposition attacks

Opposition parties, including the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, have criticised him. The DMK said Vijay is running a "work from home" campaign.

Udhayanidhi Stalin also took a dig, saying some leaders work continuously on the ground and connect with people, while others take breaks during campaigning.

Pressure builds ahead of Polls

Meanwhile, senior leaders like M. K. Stalin, Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Seeman are actively campaigning across the state. This has put pressure on TVK as Vijay is yet to cover many areas before campaigning ends.

Though Vijay remains very popular, many believe meeting voters directly will be important to turn that popularity into votes. Party sources say he may increase his campaign efforts in the coming days.