Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK president C Joseph Vijay will travel to Karur on Friday, marking his first return since a campaign stampede killed 41 people nine months earlier. During the visit he will present government job offers to one eligible relative from each of the 41 affected families, with 32 appointments already approved after verification. He will also lay the foundation for a 1,700-crore footwear factory expected to create 13,500 positions and later address a public gathering.
The schedule begins at the district collectorate, where Vijay will meet the families before distributing the compassionate appointments. The factory event follows, after which he will speak at a meeting limited to about 5,000 attendees screened by QR-coded passes. More than 5,000 police officers from Karur and nearby districts will maintain order, with extra attention given to barricades, exits, medical facilities and traffic flow.
The September 27, 2025 stampede took place at Velusamypuram during a rally for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, injuring over 100 others. The CBI is investigating the incident, which prompted renewed discussion on crowd control and rally planning involving organisers, police and local officials. Vijay initially met the families at a Chennai hotel rather than travelling to Karur immediately, drawing criticism from opponents.
BJP state president Nainar Nagendran welcomed the job offers but called the timing politically motivated and said an earlier visit would have been preferable. The Naam Tamilar Katchi and CPI have also questioned the recruitment process. A petition in the Madras High Court seeks to halt the appointments, arguing they bypass standard service rules.
The Karur Assembly seat is currently vacant after former AIADMK minister M R Vijayabhaskar resigned and joined TVK. Observers note the visit occurs ahead of a possible by-election, though officials describe the programme as administrative. The government will also highlight investment and employment goals through the new factory.
