TIRUVANNAMALAI/VILLUPURAM/DHARMAPURI: The Centre-ruling BJP continued its attempts to proceed with the Vetrivel Yatra in Tamil Nadu, in violation of Covid restrictions laid out by the State government.
State president of the party L Murugan courted arrest in Tiruvannamalai while trying to carry forward with the procession. He was accompanied by senior leaders, including State general secretary KT Raghavan and KS Narendran.
Earlier, addressing a meeting of the party cadre, Murugan claimed that the next government cannot be formed in Tamil Nadu without the support of the BJP.
“A large section of people, particularly youngsters and women, are in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Murugan accused DMK chief MK Stalin of failing to condemn Karuppar Koottam and VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan for remarks that the saffron party claimed were “anti-Hindu”.
In Villupuram, another 1,100 members of the BJP courted arrest, including former national secretary H Raja. Before the meeting, the cadres numbering 2,000 gathered around the town throwing Covid precautions to the wind.
Calling MK Alagiri his “dear friend,” Raja declared that the former DMK strongman had confirmed to him about his decision to ally with the BJP by floating his own party on November 20.
District Superintendent of Police S Radhakrishnan and District Collector A Annadurai said they would investigate and take necessary action against the breach of Covid protocols by the party.
Meanwhile, speaking in Dharmapuri, the saffron party’s State vice-president K Annamalai said the alliance with AIADMK “continues to be trouble-free.”
Over 400 cadre attended the procession event here in Dharmapuri.