NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, DEC 7
The Tamil Nadu Police have denied permission to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to conduct a massive public meeting in Erode on December 16, citing inadequate space at the proposed venue. The request was moved shortly after former minister K A Sengottaiyan, who recently shifted to TVK from the AIADMK, submitted his petition to authorities.
Sources in the department said the petition was first given to the Erode District Collector S Kandasamy, after which a copy was handed over to officials at the District Police Office.
- Ask party to shift venue
- Sengottaiyan’s home-turf debut meet faces first block
Sengottaiyan, a nine-time MLA known as a strongman of Erode, told reporters, “The TVK chief will visit Erode on December 16 and address a public meeting on private land near a marriage hall.”
The event would have marked Sengottaiyan’s first major public show after joining actor-politician Vijay’s TVK.
A team led by Superintendent of Police A Sujatha inspected the seven-acre field at Pavalathampalayam on the Erode–Perundurai Road on Sunday. After the inspection, police officials informed the media that TVK had projected a turnout of 70,000 people, besides vehicles. “The proposed site is insufficient to safely accommodate such numbers. Hence, permission has been declined,” officials said.
They added that the decision had been communicated to Sengottaiyan, and the party had been asked to propose an alternate venue.
Political Reactions
TVK Cadre Reaction
Local TVK supporters expressed disappointment, calling the decision “expected but unfortunate.” One functionary said, “This is Sengottaiyan’s stronghold. The turnout would have been historic. We will find a bigger venue.”
AIADMK Circles
AIADMK members privately remarked that the refusal had “killed the hype” around Sengottaiyan’s first show of strength after switching camps. A senior functionary quipped, “He left us saying AIADMK has no mass. Now he’s struggling to find space for his own crowd.”
Political Observers
Analysts noted that the refusal is routine for crowd-heavy public meetings in congested districts. However, they also acknowledged the political undertone, given that TVK’s debut rallies are drawing increasing attention across western Tamil Nadu.
