Fan frenzy marks TVK conference in Madurai

MADURAI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay received a roaring round of applause from his fans and cadres at his party’s second state conference at Parapathi in Madurai on Thursday.

When the TVK president walked up a 300-metre-long ramp that led to a centre stage after hoisting TVK ‘s flag on a 40-foot pole and paying floral tributes to portraits of his ideological leaders, the crowd went crazy and some of them jumped over the barricade to shake hands with him and take a snap.

Those who stood by the ramp threw party flags when Vijay was moving toward the stage. The jubilant leader also took selfies with his joyous fans and cadres on the occasion.

Meanwhile, some in the crowd went beyond what their leader may have intended and pushed through barricades to get close to the stage.

The sprawling venue witnessed a sea of fans who had their day out in merrymaking. Most of them danced to music and reveled in joy, welcoming their iconic leader. Some of them had their faces painted with the TVK flag and used the flags as turbans. Moreover, some of those who could not be accommodated in seats managed to sit on barricades and atop a few towers.

Unable to cope with the hot weather, several participants, including women and children, were seen under tarpaulin covers. Aerial drones were used by the organisers to sprinkle water on them.

Many of them were dehydrated and fainted. According to sources, eight persons, including two women, were rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. However, they are stable.

Before reaching the venue, the party cadres and fans, who travelled from various districts across Tamil Nadu, parked their vehicles five kilometres away from the venue. Traffic diversions were made along the Madurai-Thoothukudi Highway from Parapathi.