Tamil Nadu: TVK employee hospitalized in after suspected suicide attempt
Tamil Nadu: According to reports, Ajitha Agnel, a functionary for Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Saturday after her health worsened after she allegedly attempted suicide earlier this week.
After allegedly taking around fifteen sleeping pills at her home on Friday, Ajitha, a prominent party worker from Thoothukudi, was taken to a private hospital.
After being passed over for the position of Thoothukudi Central district secretary in the recently revealed party structure, she reportedly experienced extreme mental anguish.
According to reports, she was displeased that TVK president Vijay had appointed Samuel Raj to the position on December 23.
Ajitha had publicly voiced her disapproval, questioning the qualifications of the recently appointed office-bearer and asserting that she had been actively working for the party from its founding.
Ajitha and several of her followers protested at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur after the announcement. They temporarily stopped Vijay’s car and then sat in dharna outside the party office.
Political circles took notice of the demonstration, which revealed indications of dissatisfaction among certain party grassroots officials.
According to family members, Ajitha took sleeping pills at her Thoothukudi home after the event. She was then sent to a private hospital, where her health first stabilized. But on Saturday, her condition worsened and she had to be moved to the intensive care unit.
According to hospital sources, she is still being closely monitored by doctors.
For Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, a relatively young political party founded earlier this year by actor-turned-politician Vijay, the tragedy occurs at a delicate moment.
The party has been concentrating on creating a solid organizational structure across districts in order to become a significant political force prior to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The public was very interested in TVK’s establishment, especially after Vijay’s political rhetoric and his pledge to provide an alternative to the current parties free from corruption.
However, as the party gets ready for a more significant electoral role, internal conflicts like the one in this episode have sparked concerns about organizational cohesiveness.
In addition to placing the party under public scrutiny for crowd control and internal coordination, the tragedy has brought up memories of the stampede that occurred at a TVK rally in Karur on September 27 of this year, which left 41 people dead and several more injured.
The incident has spurred broader political discourse on internal democracy, cadre management, and the challenges encountered by grassroots workers in quickly growing political groups as Ajitha continues her treatment.