DMDK kicks off youth conference with massive rally

Chennai, Oct 18 (UNI) In a virtual show of strength ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the nascent Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) of actor-politician Vijayakanth today took out a massive rally in the city.

The rally, which culminated in a public meeting at the sprawling Island Grounds, was organised as part of the first youth conference to mark the fourth founding day of the Party and to commemorate the birth centenary of Dravidian stalwart and former Chief Minister C N Annadurai.

Parthy Youth Wing Secretary L K Sudeesh flagged off the rally at the Labour statue on the Marina.

The DMDK cadres virtually painted the city yellow as tens and hundreds of workers responded to the call given by their ''Captain'', as Vijayakanth is affectionately called, and participated in the rally.

Recurring rains since morning did not prove a dampner as enthusiastic workers, dressed in yellow shirts and T-shirts, thronged the city from all parts of Tamil Nadu since morning.

Festoons, banners and party flags dotted various parts of the city as all roads led to Island Grounds for the cadres. The ''Captain'' was slated to deliver his address at the public meeting.

Vijayakanth along with senior party leaders, including Panruti S Ramachandran, K P Krishan and Sudeesh witnessed the rally from a specially erected dias near Munroe Statue on the arterial Anna Salai.

Party workers from every nook and corner of the state flooded the city in buses, trains, and other modes of transport.

While party sources claimed that more than ten lakh people participated in the rally, Police and Intelligence sources put the figure at around one to 1.5 lakh.

Traffic bottlenecks were reported in several parts of the city.

Rains compounded the woes of the two-wheelers riders and several low lying areas were water-logged.

UNI GV VV AKJ RAI1835