A tragic incident was reported in Tamil Nadu's Karur on Saturday night after 36 people, including several children and women, lost their lives following a stampede at actor-turned-politician Vijay's rally. Vijay, the founder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was addressing the crowd, but was forced to end his speech following the stampede that has also left more than 70 people injured.
Notably, the stampede has happened days after the Madras High Court warned about safety lapses at Vijay's rallies and events and had directed the Tamil Nadu government to formulate safety rules for political parties.
TVK and its ideological alignment
51-year-old Vijay, who has worked in more than 60 movies, founded the TVK on February 2, 2024, stating that he would contest the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. He remains the party's president and its headquarters are situated in Chennai. Vijay says his ideological alignment is centre to the left and he has also embraced icons such as Periyar and Dr BR Ambedkar.
Vijay has been particularly critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has even questioned the AIADMK for its alliance with the saffron party. Vijay believes AIADMK's alliance with BJP will make 'true followers' of MG Ramachandran 'unhappy'. "The AIADMK has forgotten its leaders and has aligned with the BJP. True followers of MGR are not in favour of the alliance and are lamenting. Why have you aligned with the BJP? What has the BJP done for Tamil Nadu?" he said recently.
DMK a political adversary?
Vijay has also been critical of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu and has often said that Chief Minister MK Stalin's party has failed to deliver to the promises it made earlier. He also considers the DMK a "political adversary" because of dynastic politics. He has also said that voting for the DMK is like voting for the BJP, claiming the two parties have done an 'underground deal' with each other.
"DMK has an underground deal with the BJP. If you vote for the DMK, it's indirectly voting for the BJP. They may pretend they're rivals, but you should keep in mind that they're friends behind the scenes," Vijay said at one of his rallies.
Why Vijay's TVK has large following?
Vijay's TVK has a large following in Tamil Nadu, primarily because of the actor's massive fanbase. Eyewitnesses suggest that Saturday's tragedy also primarily happened because a section of crowd tried to catch a glimpse of Vijay, which ultimately led to the deadly incident in Karur. Vijay, born to director SA Chandrasekhar and playback singer Shoba Chandrasekhar, has acted in more than 65 movies and has given several blockbusters, and is quite popular among the fans.
Vijay reacts to Karur incident
Meanwhile, Vijay has expressed his grief over Karur stampede, saying the incident has left his heart shattered. "My heart is shattered; I am writhing in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow that words cannot express. I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for the swift recovery of those receiving treatment in the hospital," he said in a statement on X.
