Karur stampede – can actor Vijay become a top political contender in Tamil Nadu?

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*

The tragedy in Karur, Tamil Nadu, during actor Vijay’s political rally is a reminder of how ordinary people and institutions rise in moments of crisis. On September 27, 2025, at least 41 people lost their lives and nearly 100 were injured in a stampede at Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur district. What followed was a swift and determined response by the medical fraternity, which prevented the disaster from spiraling further.

Within hours, nearly 85 doctors and 90 percent of hospital staff reported for duty without waiting for instructions. The mortuary was overwhelmed, and postgraduate students from Salem, Tiruchi, and Namakkal were brought in with police approval to conduct post-mortems. They worked through the night, completing examinations on 39 bodies by the next afternoon. Nurses, laboratory technicians, and support staff joined hands to keep the hospital functioning under immense strain. Ambulance drivers, both government and private, played a crucial role in ferrying the injured. One driver recalled making three trips in just a few hours, as the public cleared the way despite the chaos. For the hospital, this was the sternest test since the pandemic, and it responded with admirable resilience.

Yet, outside this circle of grief and service, the focus quickly shifted to Vijay’s political standing. The sheer size of the gathering, despite the tragedy, has prompted speculation about his electoral potential. Vijay, long adored as the “chocolate hero” of Tamil cinema, now appears to be positioning himself as a political force, much like M.G. Ramachandran, J. Jayalalithaa, and M. Karunanidhi before him—leaders who transformed their cinematic stardom into political capital.

Rumors abound about who is financing Vijay’s political campaign. With Congress and DMK on one side, and AIADMK and BJP aligned on the other, neither national party is believed to be bankrolling TVK. Instead, business interests—state and national—are thought to be investing in him as a potential disruptor who could challenge the ruling DMK. This fuels perceptions of Vijay as a political dark horse, possibly capable of repeating MGR’s dramatic ascent in 1977.

In recent remarks, Vijay predicted the decline of the AIADMK due to its association with the BJP, claiming that the people of Tamil Nadu would turn to his TVK as an alternative. For now, however, Tamil Nadu’s politics remain firmly centered on the DMK and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who retains a strong record and loyal base.

The Karur rally, despite its tragic fallout, has undeniably demonstrated Vijay’s ability to draw massive crowds. Whether this translates into votes is uncertain, but it signals that Tamil Nadu politics is witnessing the rise of another actor-turned-politician determined to leave his mark. It may be premature to project him as the next MGR, but the momentum from Karur suggests that Vijay cannot be dismissed as merely a film star dabbling in politics.

As Tamil Nadu heads toward its next election, one thing is clear: Vijay has stepped firmly into the political arena, and his presence will be felt in the contest ahead.

---

*Journalist based in Chennai

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

India’s foreign policy at crossroads: Cost of silence in the face of aggression

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Sandeep Pandey The widely anticipated yet unprovoked attack on Iran on March 1 by the United States and Israel has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters around the world. Reports indicate that the strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, including 165 elementary school girls, 20 female volleyball players, and many other civilians.

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Search This Blog