TVK Suspends Vijay Rallies Following Stampede Cites Police Caution
TVK Suspends Vijay Rallies Following Stampede Cites Police Caution
In a significant political maneuver, the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TVK) has announced a temporary suspension of its high profile campaign trail across Tamil Nadu, led by party chief Vijay. The decision comes in the immediate aftermath of a recent stampede incident, which has drawn considerable regulatory and public scrutiny toward the party’s organizational capabilities and event management protocols.
The official directive has been relayed to TVK’s district secretaries, instructing them explicitly not to file requests with the police for permissions to conduct further rallies. This halt immediately impacts planned weekend meetings, including those scheduled for this Saturday in Vellore and Ranipet, which have now been postponed indefinitely.
The original campaign schedule was ambitious, aiming to cover multiple districts by December, a timeline that had already been stretched into February 2026 after Vijay opted to cover two districts a day instead of three. Now, party insiders suggest that the campaign trail may only realistically resume by the third or fourth week of October, marking a critical pause in the buildup to upcoming elections.
This period of silence immediately following the tragic stampede left the party rank and file temporarily confused about the path forward. Clarity only arrived after a video message from the leader, Vijay, assured cadres that the "political fight would continue," providing essential direction for the grassroots functionaries.
Beyond the suspension of rallies, the TVK headquarters has also issued stringent instructions regarding communication. Functionaries holding key posts have been advised to exercise extreme caution in their social media activity and refrain from making any comments concerning the developments in the Karur case or responding to criticism leveled by opposition parties. This caution is a direct response to potential legal fallout, specifically following a case that was filed against a party functionary, Aadhav Arjuna, for a deleted post on the social media platform X.
Meanwhile, police authorities have confirmed that any future requests for rallies or gatherings from the TVK will be referred directly to the Director General of Police’s (DGP) office for approval, indicating a heightened level of oversight. This regulatory tightening underscores the institutional response to the safety concerns raised by the stampede, placing the onus firmly on political parties to ensure stringent adherence to crowd control and safety guidelines during large public events. The suspension reflects a necessary regrouping and a strategic move by the TVK to navigate the regulatory and legal challenges stemming from the recent tragedy.