Puducherry police delaying permission for Vijay’s road show, TVK approaches CM

With the Puducherry police delaying permission for a road show and public meeting of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and film star Vijay on December 5, the party has approached Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Tuesday.

With only two days left, a TVK delegation led by TVK general secretary Bussy N Anand and Aadhav Arjuna, general secretary (election management), and comprising party functionaries, called on Rangasamy at the Secretariat and requested that permission be granted for the resumption of Vijay’s campaign in Puducherry.

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The meeting lasted for 10 minutes. Aadhav Arjuna presented a book to the Chief Minister on the occasion. The TVK team later also met PWD Minister K Lakshminarayanan in this regard to press for permission.

The TVK had submitted a petition to the police on November 26, seeking permission to hold the road show and public meeting on December 5. This would be Vijay’s first public outreach more than two months after the killer stampede in his rally at Karur on September 27, which claimed 41 lives. But, the police had not taken a decision so far forcing the TVK to keep their fingers crossed.

The TVK had sought permission for the campaign lasting from 9 am to 5 pm, commencing from Kalapet on the outskirts near the Central University and a series of roadshows covering 6 places, and concluding with a massive rally addressed by Vijay at Oupalam-Sonampalayam junction.

Meanwhile Puducherry Assembly Speaker R Selvam, speaking to reporters, welcomed the police not granting permission for Vijay.

Puducherry is a small town with no big roads and holding massive gatherings posed the threat of a repeat of Karur tragedy, he said, adding that they could hold the event at a ground nearby.

However, sources said, the police had suggested that the TVK hold the rally near the helipad on the outskirts.