Dharmapuri/Trichy: Tamil Nadu higher education minister P Palaniappan and MDMK chief Vaiko had a tough Sunday as they faced stiff opposition from cadres of rival parties during campaigning. In Dharmapuri district, members of the Vanniyar community pelted stones at Palaniappan's car when he was trying to enter a village, a PMK stronghold, as part of his campaign.
Bommidi police said when Palaniappan was on his way to Mottankuruchi panchayat near Nathamedu, a group of people led by K Nanjappan, panchayat president of Mottankuruchi, waylaid the state minister's car and his supporters' vehicles. Nanjappan, a PMK leader, along with the other villagers put tree trunks and boulders on the road to stop Palaniappan from progressing further. The protesters then started pelting stones at the minister's car and his supporters. "No one was injured in the attack, but windshields of four cars were damaged," police said.
In Trichy, 100 DMK workers were booked after they stormed towards Vaiko waving black flags during his campaign in Senthamangalam. He was campaigning for P S Masilamani, a CPM candidate in Tiruvarur.