Vijay Says He’ll Handle His Personal Crisis

Chennai: Making a slew of promises aimed at attracting women voters on the occasion of ‘Women’s Day,’ president of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) Vijay told his supporters to concentrate on people’s issues without worrying about his personal problems that he would handle himself, suggesting that the divorce notice and demands of alimony from his wife Sangeetha were his own lookout.

Addressing women office-bearers of the TVK at Mamallapuram on Saturday, he said that to prevent dropout of school students a sum of Rs 15,000 would be paid to the mother or guardian of the upkeep of the children and the Rs 1000 now disbursed under the ‘magalir urimai thogai’ scheme every month would be increased to Rs 2500 to all women, barring government employees.

In a bid to encourage women becoming entrepreneurs, members of the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) who migrate to MSMEs would be given a subsidy of Rs 5 lakh a year, he said and announced a slew of welfare schemes targeting women like free sanitary napkins through ration shops.

A large number of women office-bearers attended the function in the backdrop of the raging controversy that erupted over his strained relationship with his wife that has given rise to a wide range of criticism in the social media and elsewhere.

Amidst speculations that the bad publicity could make a dent in his popularity among women, the Women’s Day celebrations endeared himself to his women supporters. His acknowledgement of the personal problem with the assurance to handle it himself has also put an end to the circulation of gossip about his marital relationship.

In the political front, the TVK will have to go it alone in the coming Assembly elections as the Congress has renewed its alliance with the DMK, impelling the party to continue its campaign among the people all alone with Vijay spearheading the vote harvesting exercise.