Actor-turned-politician Vijay, chief of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), held his first major public rally in Erode, Tamil Nadu, on Sunday, drawing a massive turnout months after the tragic Karur stampede that left several people dead and injured.
At the rally, Vijay addressed supporters and criticised the ruling DMK, accusing it of indulging in what he described as “ugly politics.” Assuring his followers, Vijay said that while he understands such politics, his party would never practise it.
“I stand with the people, and the people stand with me,” Vijay told the gathering, expressing solidarity with the crowd that had assembled to hear him speak.
Towards the end of the event, Vijay took out his mobile phone and recorded a video of the cheering crowd, calling it his ‘Erode selfie’. He later shared the video on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, thanking the people of Erode. The video quickly went viral, crossing 5.5 million views on Instagram within hours.
Fans flooded social media with praise, with many calling Vijay a “selfie master” and hailing the massive turnout as a show of public support. The rally marked Vijay’s first large-scale public appearance since the September Karur rally, where a stampede had claimed 41 lives and injured around 100 people, prompting concerns over crowd management.
Vijay has announced plans to quit acting and focus entirely on politics ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. His most recent film was Venkat Prabhu’s The GOAT (2024). His final film, Jana Nayagan, directed by H. Vinoth, is scheduled for release during Pongal 2026 and stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, and Mamitha Baiju.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
