CM Holds Roadshow At Perundurai

Before arriving at the main venue, where the massive primary event organized under the Women’s Development Programme (Mahalir Thittam) by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Vijay held a high-profile 30 km roadshow starting from Sengapalli to Vaikkalmedu, drawing a sea of supporters and admirers.

Arriving at Coimbatore from Chennai, Vijay drove into Erode district by road when enthusiastic fans, members of the public and TVK cadre lined up on either side of the road to greet him as the convoy moved along the highway corridors before entering the town area.

The district administration had marked about seven main intersection areas to allow the public to greet the Chief Minister from Chengapalli Flyover on the Kochi–Salem National Highway till Kanjikovil Pirivu.

Vijay, who was earlier accorded a warm reception by state ministers and district officials on his arrival at the Coimbatore airport, took part in the function, where he also launched localized infrastructure upgrades and a rainwater harvesting awareness initiative.

The meeting was aimed at encouraging women's collectives to contribute to the state economy and also reflects the state's commitment to encourage their talent.

Vijay spent significant time going around a specially curated exhibition and extensive product display stalls that highlighted the success stories and diverse manufacturing capabilities of women SHGs from various parts of the state.

The exhibition featured a rich display of heritage items, ranging from traditional dolls to value-added agricultural goods. Notable among the exhibits were unique indigenous handicrafts, including traditional Toda tribal embroidery presented by the Paalmalar group from the Nilgiris district.

The chief minister interacted with several SHGs, representing different districts, including the Anbu group from Kanyakumari, the Sri Selva Vinayaga group from Thiruvannamalai, and Erode's Angala Parameswari collective. He reviewed the natural fibre apparel, bamboo utility products, and handloom bedspreads crafted by the Brahma Kamalam and Vetrivel groups.

The organic, value-added food products, including nutrient-dense millet snacks and fresh ghee presented by the Sri Velmurugan and Siva Vishnu groups, alongside intricate decorative palm leaf art from the Kanthariyamman and Thillai Nachiyiamman groups were the other attractions at the expo.

Stopping by the catering stalls of Olichudar and Eswaran SHGs from Erode and Nilgiris, Vijay sipped hot tea, freshly prepared by the members, and also observed a live demonstration of eco-friendly home decor items crafted from banana fibre by the Carmel Annai group, as well as traditional clay pottery shaped by the Veeramangai Velu Nachiyar group.

Besides purchasing a finished banana fibre product, he also bought a specialised wooden sculpture intricately carved in his own likeness. The event was held at the Sri Lakshmi Narayana Mahal near the Karumandi Sellipalayam Bridge in Perundurai.

Returning to the Coimbatore airport from Erode, the Chief Minister made an unannounced surprise stop at Karumathampatti police station to make a brief inspection and interact with the police personnel on duty.