The behaviour of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam supporters has come under severe political scrutiny after some Vijay fans were seen heckling and harassing journalist Sam Daniel during his live news reporting for NDTV.
On Saturday, September 13, Vijay, the founder-president of TVK party commenced his campaign rally in Trichy for the 2026 Assembly elections. The debut rally drew massive crowds.
Journalist Sam Daniel who went to Trichy to cover the event was mobbed by some overenthused Vijay fans. They repeatedly attempted to disrupt his coverage by dancing around him and mocking him with gestures. One TVK supporter was even seen wrapping the party shawl around the journalist’s head.
Condemning the incident, Naam Tamilar Katchi’s leader Idumbavanam Karthik wrote: “These herd mentality lumpens represents the whole of TVK.”
NTK’s IT wing president Sunanda Tamaraiselvan also commented saying: “The pitiful state of fans who are not politicised.”
Similarly, BJP’s state youth wing president, Vinoj B Selvam wrote “This video explaining the ground reality of Tamilnadu is scary. I blame the DMK for intoxicating the minds of youth using cinema as a tool, which they used for their personal ideological propaganda and also to increase their wealth using their production houses. Most supporters of TVK today are a product of this misadventure.”
Along with this, Vijay’s also has come under fire for the inconvenience caused to the public in Trichy city. The city witnessed massive traffic disruption as the rally was delayed by nearly five hours.
Although police had permitted TVK’s roadshow between 10.30 am and 11 am, Vijay’s campaign vehicle moved at a snail’s pace, surrounded by thousands of supporters. He eventually reached the venue in Marakkadai only around 3 pm — nearly five hours late.
This delay led to severe snarl-ups across the city, particularly on the Tiruchy-Pudukkottai and Tiruchy-Chennai National Highways, TVS Tollgate, Head Post Office Junction, Melapudur, Palakkarai, Thennur, Gandhi Market, Court Road, and surrounding areas.Among those caught in the gridlock was Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former finance minister P Chidambaram. Public transport services were also badly affected, as Marakkadai, the rally venue, is a major bus hub linking the city’s Central and Chathiram bus stands.
Referring to this, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and Chief Minister MK Stalin indirectly criticised the Vijay-led party while addressing DMK cadres. In his letter to DMK cadre, inviting them to the ‘Mupperum Vizha’ which will be held on September 17 in Karur, Stalin said that the DMK is a principled party.
“DMK is a party that holds gatherings based on principles. Our cadres do not cause disturbances or inconvenience the public. We assemble with ideological commitment and disperse as warriors of those ideals,” Stalin wrote, taking a veiled dig at TVK.
Meanwhile, NTK president Seeman reacted to the rally saying, “ When an actor comes off of the screen crowds will gather. MGR, Sivaji Ganesan all drew crowds. Ajith or Rajinikanth or Nayanthara would draw greater crowds. look at the politics they put forward, not the crowd.”