Supporters faint in heat at Vijay's first political conference
Tamil actor Vijay's political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) held its first-ever public conference in Tamil Nadu's Vikravandi on Sunday. The event witnessed a turnout of over two lakh supporters, causing massive traffic jams. To ease the situation, authorities suspended toll collection at Ulundurpet, Vikravandi and Ongur toll plazas. Videos circulating on social media showed many fainting due to the heat wave, while volunteers helped those affected by the heatwave.
TVK volunteers assist attendees, assure essential supplies
Some attendees were even seen using chairs as makeshift sunshields. There were reports of a shortage of water and snacks at the event. However, TVK General Secretary Bussy Anand assured that they were working to provide these essentials and requested cooperation as supplies were distributed. The conference was originally set to start at 4:00pm but was preponed to 3:00pm.
Conference rescheduled, Vijay's address eagerly awaited
Party workers were excited about Vijay's address and his possible candidacy for Tamil Nadu's chief minister in 2026. "Today is the biggest day of celebration for the people of Tamil Nadu. Our party leader Vijay started the party to make social, economic and political changes. Today he will be addressing us, we are excited to listen to him. We are sure in 2026 he will become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu," a party worker told ANI.
Visuals from the rally
Preparations and security measures for TVK's debut conference
The venue had a 100-foot mast for the party flag and huge cutouts of leaders like EV Ramasamy, K Kamaraj and BR Ambedkar, reflecting TVK's political vision. A 1.5km exclusive pathway was laid out for Vijay to make a big entrance into the conference, with his followers cheering him from both sides and separated by barricades to prevent stampedes. There were also medical kiosks staffed by around 1000 professionals, 15,000 LED lights to illuminate the space, and 700 CCTV cameras.
