Vijay’s Madurantakam roadshow draws crowds ahead of October 6 bypoll
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay conducted an extensive roadshow in the Madurantakam (Reserved) Assembly constituency in Chengalpattu district on Friday, October 2, ahead of the October 6 byelection.
Vijay began the campaign at Mamandur on GST Road at around 2.30 p.m. and travelled through nearly 40 villages during a roadshow that lasted about four and a half hours.
The cavalcade moved through several locations, including Karunguzhi, Ayyanar Temple Junction, Mocheri, Thandalam, Perumbakkam, Sempoondi, Elapakkam, Kil Athipakkam and the Melmaruvathur Adiparasakthi Temple Junction before reaching Therady Street in Madurantakam.
TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel accompanied Vijay during the campaign. Kumaravel, who had won the constituency as an AIADMK candidate, resigned as MLA on May 25 and subsequently joined TVK. Her resignation led to the present byelection.
Large crowds gathered along GST Road from the morning despite the hot weather. Supporters waved TVK flags, showered flowers and handed over gifts and letters to Vijay as his campaign vehicle moved through the constituency.
At one point, Vijay stopped at a roadside tea shop and interacted with people. At Melavalampettai, supporters presented him with a spear, a sceptre and a bronze statue of Lord Murugan.
Young fans also turned out in significant numbers. The huge turnout, however, resulted in major traffic disruption along the Madurantakam stretch of GST Road. Police struggled to manage supporters who gathered on both sides of the highway and frequently crossed the temporary barricades.
Traffic moved slowly throughout the roadshow, and in several stretches congestion continued even after Vijay’s convoy had moved ahead. At some locations, it reportedly took more than an hour for traffic to return to normal.