Dharapuram Bypoll: Vijay Takes Aim At DMK, AIADMK As Former AIADMK Minister Semmalai Joins TVK

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief C Joseph Vijay turned his Dharapuram campaign rally on Wednesday into a broad political offensive against the DMK and AIADMK, while seeking to present his party as the inheritor of the welfare legacy of M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.

Addressing supporters at Chitravuthanpalayam ahead of the October 6 bypoll, Vijay accused the AIADMK of betraying MGR and Jayalalithaa’s legacy and alleged that the AIADMK and DMK were working together to prevent TVK from forming the government. He again described the DMK as an “evil force”. These were political allegations made by Vijay.

Vijay also defended TVK candidate P Sathyabama, who resigned as an AIADMK MLA before joining TVK. He rejected allegations of horse-trading and said she had quit before switching parties. Sathyabama became emotional while addressing the rally, with Vijay comforting her on stage.

The rally produced another major political development when former AIADMK minister S Semmalai joined TVK in Vijay’s presence. Vijay welcomed the veteran leader by draping a TVK scarf around him.

Vijay also highlighted his government’s welfare agenda, including the recently launched one-gram, 22-carat gold-ring scheme for eligible newborns, and spoke of equal treatment of people of different faiths.

His arrival itself became a roadshow-like spectacle. After flying to Coimbatore, Vijay travelled to Dharapuram in his campaign vehicle, stopping to accept flowers and garlands from supporters. At the venue, ministers welcomed him with a rose and a ceremonial spear, while more than 10 LED screens were installed for the gathering.

Crowd safety was a major focus. TVK restricted entry to 5,000 QR-code pass holders, with pregnant women, children, students, senior citizens, differently-abled people and those with health conditions excluded as a safety precaution. Police deployed around 3,000 personnel, while water and medical facilities were arranged. The restrictions followed concerns over uncontrolled crowds at an earlier Madurantakam event and come amid heightened scrutiny of Vijay’s rallies after the Karur crowd crush.

The political stakes are high: AIADMK won 40.56% in Dharapuram in the 2026 Assembly election, against 32.20% for DMK and 23.23% for TVK. The bypoll was triggered by Sathyabama’s resignation, making Wednesday’s campaign an important test of TVK’s support in a traditional AIADMK stronghold.