When Will Vijay Resume His TVK Campaign That Was Paused After Karur Stampede?

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder Vijay paused his political rallies following the tragic stampede in Karur on September 27 that claimed 41 lives. Nearly a month later, there's an update on when his campaign may resume.

According to TVK deputy general secretary CTR Nirmalkumar, the party's rallies will restart only after the Tamil Nadu government finalises the standard operating procedure (SOP) for granting permission to political gatherings, as directed by the Madras High Court.

Meanwhile, Vijay announced that the party's special general council meeting will be held on November 5 at Mahabalipuram, where TVK will decide its future course of action. The announcement followed a meeting of the newly formed executive committee at the party's Panaiyur headquarters.

Earlier this week, Vijay met the families of those who lost their lives in the Karur stampede. The meeting took place at a resort in Mamallapuram, where 31 of the 38 affected families travelled from Karur in buses arranged by TVK. The remaining seven families could not attend due to the 30th-day rituals for their deceased relatives.

The ill-fated rally in Karur was part of Vijay's campaign that had kicked off in Trichy, Perambalur, and Ariyalur districts on September 13. On the day of the Karur event, thousands gathered at Veluswamypuram, far exceeding the permitted 10,000-person limit. Eyewitnesses estimated the crowd to be between 25,000 and 30,000.

Vijay's delayed arrival caused sections of the crowd to surge forward to catch a glimpse of him. Multiple waves of pushing followed - some due to people trying to see the actor-politician, others caused by confusion when the sound system faltered. The worst crush occurred near a shed that housed a generator and TV broadcast van, where the absence of proper exits and buffer zones turned the chaos deadly.