All eyes on TVK’s meeting at Uppalam ground on Tuesday

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s political event in Puducherry on Tuesday will be keenly watched by the ruling and opposition parties in the Union Territory as TVK founder Vijay has not hitherto commented on Puducherry’s politics or about his plans to foray into the electoral politics of the U.T. as the territory goes to assembly polls along with Tamil Nadu in 2026. 

Though the territory is not ruled by his political opponent, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as proclaimed by Mr. Vijay, his ideological ‘enemy’ Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stakes in the affairs of Puducherry as the territory is under the direct supervision of Ministry of Home Affairs considering its U.T. status, and shares power with its alliance partner All India N.R. Congress led by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy. 

There is much curiosity among the general public about Mr. Vijay’s address at the Uppalam ground as to whether he will aggressively take on his ideological opponent and the AINRC-BJP government for toeing the policies, including the New Education Policy, propounded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre.

Political observers are going to keenly watch the tone and tenor of his address as Mr. Vijay shares a very close rapport with Mr. Rangasamy, who considers himself to be a proclaimed fan of the actor and a well-wisher of Mr. Vijay in his political role. The Chief Minister, during the formation of TVK last year, had openly wished Mr. Vijay a successful tenure in politics, and the gesture had led to several speculations in the political arena of Puducherry. It will be interesting to see how Mr. Vijay distinguishes the alliance partners while commenting on the governance of Puducherry.

“His speech will be keenly watched by all political parties as he is going to address only the TVK cadre drawn from Puducherry. Basically, he is going to address the voters of Puducherry and the DMK is not in power in the U.T. What he is going to speak here will give several indications, especially his ideological positioning. It will also have implications here due to his close relationship with the Chief Minister,” said a political science professor with a government college.

TVK’s appeal 

Following the restrictions imposed by the police for the meeting at the Uppalam ground, TVK general secretary N. Anand alias ‘Bussy’ Anand has appealed to the party functionaries from Tamil Nadu not to attend the event. He has requested pregnant women, school children, women carrying infants, people having health issues, and elderly residents not to attend the meeting. The party has directed workers not to accompany Mr. Vijay’s cavalcade on two-wheelers or other vehicles to the venue, a release here said.

Restricted entry

Senior Superintendent of Police, Law and Order N. Kalaivanan, in a release, said entry to the ground will be allowed only to individuals possessing valid passes with QR code provided by the TVK. “Persons without a valid QR-coded pass will not be allowed inside the venue under any circumstances. People are requested not to travel to the venue without a pass. Only 5,000 people possessing pass will be allowed inside,” he said.