Dharapuram: Chief minister C Joseph Vijay concluded the bypoll campaign on Sunday with a roadshow across Dharapuram assembly constituency, mounting a scathing attack on DMK and AIADMK. Accusing DMK president M K Stalin of body-shaming TVK candidate P Sathyabama, Vijay urged electors to reject both Dravidian majors in the bypolls on Oct 6.“DMK leaders have cultivated a culture of disrespect since the era of M G Ramachandran. I can tolerate personal attacks against me, but I will not remain silent when they use foul language and body-shame our women,” Vijay said from his campaign van.Vijay, who landed at Coimbatore from Chennai on a special flight around 12.45pm, took a chopper directly to Maruthi Nagar in Dharapuram. Flanked by TVK candidate Sathyabama atop an open campaign van, he went across the constituency with residents and supporters greeting him.At one point, he stepped down from the vehicle on spotting a woman waiting to perform an aarti. After accepting the aarti, he climbed onto a bullock cart and drove it for a short distance.Stopping at another point, Vijay rebuked Stalin. “A vote for DMK or AIADMK is an endorsement of their foul language against women,” he said. At his Madurantakam road show, Vijay chose not to address the people, but in Dharapuram, he shifted the approach and spoke to the gathering. Vijay said he wanted to speak to expose DMK’s “anti-women attitude”.Responding to opposition charges that he was visiting the bypoll-bound constituencies multiple times due to fear of defeat, Vijay said he was there to meet the people and not because of elections. “The people are my family, and I can meet them as many times as I choose,” he said.Between campaign stops covering 40km, Vijay, accompanied by minister K A Sengottaiyan, walked into a drumstick orchard to interact with farmers, where he tried his hand at plucking the vegetable using a long pole. He then met coconut growers to discuss their issues. Vijay also offered prayers at Vanjiyamman temple.He returned to Coimbatore airport by helicopter and departed for Chennai later in the evening.Earlier in the day, he released a video showcasing four key projects he had launched – Singapenn Special Force, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar breakfast scheme, Thaaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam and Vettri Payanam.
