Vijay takes 5 hours to reach 1st poll rally spot from airport, usually covered in 15 minutes
Tiruchy comes to a standstill as ceaseless cadre waves cheer TVK chief from airport to MGR statue juction, turning into a literal roadshow, banned by cops
CHENNAI: The entire Tiruchy city came to a standstill as waves of TVK cadre assembled from the airport to Marakkadai, leaving the 13 km stretch towards the first poll address choked, forcing party chief Vijay to snarl for 5 hours to reach the spot, which usually takes roughly 15 minutes.
Traffic on the roads taken by Vijay in the city was diverted on Saturday to avoid inconvenience to the public.
As soon as Vijay landed at Tiruchy airport around 9.45 am, party general secretary N. Anand and other office bearers received him. However, supporters had created a panic among security personnel, breaking through barricades to get a close look at the star as he boarded the campaign vehicle.
Vijay commenced his journey towards Marakkadai in a special campaign vehicle. TVK cadre and supporters in large numbers assembled at Airport Road, TVS tollgate, Head Post Office and Palakkarai to greet Vijay, who took around five hours to reach the meeting venue, almost turning it into a roadshow, permission for which was denied by the police.
Despite police warnings and guidelines, the cadre remained high-spirited, moving along the campaign vehicle, and the officers found it challenging to regulate the crowd, as it exceeded their expectations.
Even as the traffic from Chathiram bus stand to central bus stand via Palakkarai was diverted to Thillai Nagar, the vehicles used by the TVK cadre were parked in main roads, creating congestion beyond imagination. Police had to remove them to other places, and the entire Tiruchy city was choking with teeming people until Vijay left Tiruchy.
