The TVK party leader will address an expected crowd of 1 lakh at the venue at V.Salai in the town.
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

Vikravandi town in Villupuram is all decked up to play host to the first public rally of actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), eight months after he floated the party.

The TVK party, which is yet to test the electoral waters and is gearing up for the 2026 Assembly elections, has already generated intense interest in political circles.

A massive dais has been erected on an 85-acre site with a seating arrangement for nearly a lakh people.

The whole of the venue wore a festive look with hundreds of huge party flags in red and yellow covering the entire ground.

Huge cutouts of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, B.R. Ambedkar, social reformer Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy, freedom fighter Anjalai Ammal and Chola, Pandya and Chera kings were erected around the venue.

Functionaries of TVK said they left no stone unturned to make the event a big success and a record-breaking one.

By 8.30 a.m., all roads leading to Vikravandi witnessed huge influx of vehicles and vans carrying fans from the across the State to hear actor Vijay announce the policies of his political party.

Mr. Vijay, who arrived in Vikravandi on Saturday (October 26, 2024) night and stayed in a caravan, will address an expected crowd of 1 lakh at the venue at V.Salai in the town.

He will hoist the party flag on a 100-metre high pole through remote control. An 800-metre long ramp has been erected along the dais.

The actor will alone hog the limelight during the massive show of strength planned in true film style. The main entrance to the venue resembling Fort St. George has been erected.

He is also expected to be the lone star speaker at the three-hour meeting, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Security arrangements

Massive security arrangements have been made for the meeting, termed as one of the biggest political shows in recent months.

Over 6,000 policemen drawn from Villupuram and various other districts are being deployed at the venue. The security arrangements are being supervised by Inspector General of Police (North Zone) Asra Garg.

As many as 22 ambulances and 18 medical teams have also been stationed for any health exigency at the venue.

Counting centre at Government Higher Secondary School in Panayapuram seen on July 13, 2024 for counting of votes polled in the by-election to Vikravandi assembly constituency in Villupuram district.
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

The counting of votes polled in the by-election to Vikravandi assembly constituency in Villupuram district has commenced.

The process began with counting of postal ballots.

Over 150 officials are involved in the counting process in the designated counting centre at Panayapuram.

The electoral fate of as many as 29 candidates including that of the DMK candidate Anniyur Siva, the PMK candidate C. Anbumani and the Naam Tamilar Katchi nominee Abinaya Ponnivalavan will be known when the final result of the bypoll will be out by Saturday evening.

The by-election saw a huge voter turnout of 82.48% with as many as 1,95,495 voters exercising their franchise at the hustings.