Why burden public? K Annamalai targets traffic curbs for CM Vijay's bypoll rally
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has criticised traffic diversions planned across parts of Coimbatore, Avinashi and Dharapuram on Wednesday for Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s rally ahead of the Dharapuram Assembly bypoll on October 6.
Annamalai said the restrictions appeared to cover the entire day, even though Vijay would be in the constituency for a much shorter campaign visit. He questioned why thousands of residents should have to change their travel plans for an election event.
The chief minister’s security was important, he said, but the arrangements should account for people travelling to hospitals, employees going to work, students attending schools and colleges, and local businesses that depend on the roads.
“When a Chief Minister’s journey to meet the people ends up causing those very same people hours of hardship, what kind of people’s governance is that?” Annamalai asked.
He said the government should organise the visit without burdening the public and accused it of using the administrative machinery to impose restrictions under the pretext of election campaigning. TVK PREPARES FOR VIJAY’S RALLY
Vijay is scheduled to address a campaign meeting on Wednesday for TVK candidate P Sathyabama at a 34-acre site along the Dharapuram–Udumalai road. Party workers have been setting up the stage and flagpoles at the venue.
TVK general secretary and minister N Anand inspected the arrangements on Tuesday. Ministers KG Arunraj and KA Sengottaiyan, party deputy general secretary Udumalai K Radhakrishnan and other leaders also visited the site, according to party sources.
TVK sources said Vijay was also likely to hold a roadshow across Dharapuram on October 4, shortly before campaigning ends for the October 6 bypoll.
Sathyabama won the SC-reserved constituency as an AIADMK candidate in the April Assembly election. She later resigned as an MLA, joined the ruling TVK and was fielded again by the party. Her resignation led to the bypoll.CAMPAIGN HEATS UP IN TWO SEATS
Dharapuram and Madurantakam will vote on October 6 in the first Assembly bypolls since Vijay’s TVK formed the government. Vijay campaigned in Madurantakam on Monday for K Maragatham Kumaravel, another former AIADMK MLA who joined TVK after winning in April.
The DMK has fielded S Suganya in Dharapuram and I Paranthaman in Madurantakam. The AIADMK has nominated K Bhanumathi and former MLA Kanitha Sampath, respectively.
The campaign has led to exchanges between the ruling TVK and the two Dravidian parties.
On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu minister Aadhav Arjuna accused the DMK and AIADMK of running a “coordinated negative campaign” against Vijay and suggested the two parties had a tacit understanding. He said TVK’s campaign was gaining support in both constituencies.- Ends
