DHARAPURAM: In a high-voltage finish on the final day of by-election campaigning, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay carried out a massive roadshow across Dharapuram. Pitching for TVK candidate P. Sathyabama just hours before the campaign window drew to a close, Vijay brought major roads to a standstill as tens of thousands of party cadres, youth, and women gathered under red and yellow flags.
Final-Day Rush Halts Key Roads
With campaign silence hours kicking in, TVK cadres and supporters from Dharapuram town, Kundadam, Kangeyam, and surrounding rural pockets lined the roads from morning. Vijay climbed onto his campaign vehicle, greeting cheering crowds with folded hands as women gave a grand reception with traditional Aarthi, bursting crackers, and showering flower petals. A massive motorcycle rally led by youth cadres moved along with the campaign vehicle, slowing down traffic near the town center and main highway junctions.
Vijay Hits Out at Rivals, Backs Sathyabama
Making his final emotional appeal to the voters, the TVK chief strongly defended candidate P. Sathyabama against personal attacks by rival parties, urging the public to give a decisive mandate on voting day:
- Stand Against Rival Attacks: Vijay slammed both DMK and AIADMK leaders for targeting candidate Sathyabama, stating that women voters of Dharapuram would give a fitting answer at the ballot box.
- Amaravathi Irrigation Guarantee: Pledged rapid desilting and channel maintenance across the Amaravathi river canal network so that tail-end farmers get adequate water for coconut, paddy, and sugarcane farming.
- Relief for Weavers & Powerlooms: Promised subsidized electricity and steady raw yarn supply at affordable rates to save local handloom and powerloom families from middleman exploitation.
- Agro-Hubs & Local Youth Jobs: Promised dedicated cold storage facilities and direct procurement centers near highway points to stop distress sales, alongside incentives to create jobs locally for rural youth.
Public & Cadre Ground Reaction
"This is the last day of campaigning, and the crowd turned up purely on its own. Especially women and daily-wage workers wanted to show direct support after all the personal criticism against our candidate."
— M. Selvi (44), Farm Worker, Kundadam
"Vijay's final whirlwind tour has completely energized our ground workers. The youth presence on the streets today proves that Dharapuram wants a strong, direct alternative."
— R. Saravanan (24), TVK Youth Wing Cadre
Ground Political Impact
The Dharapuram by-election has turned into a fierce three-way battle between TVK, DMK, and AIADMK. With high-intensity mobilization on the final day of open campaigning, TVK has made an aggressive push to consolidate its ground presence and sway fence-sitter voters ahead of polling day.
