TVK's Vijay, other leaders attack Centre as CJP protest fallout reaches south

New Delhi has remained the centre of the political showdown between the BJP and Congress over the police action against students during the Cockroach Janta Party's 'Chalo Sansad' march and the subsequent detention of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence.But by Wednesday, the political fallout from the capital had also spread to the south of India, triggering fresh confrontations and reactions across states.In Andhra Pradesh, BJP and Congress workers clashed during protests over the Delhi developments. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, along with the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan, criticised the Centre over the action against protesters and Opposition leaders.Meanwhile, BJP leader K Annamalai questioned the delay in initiating dialogue with students, while the BJP accused the Opposition of using the NEET issue for political gains. Here are the key developments from across the South.BJP-CONGRESS FACE-OFF IN VIJAYAWADABJP and Congress workers clashed in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada during protests over the detention of Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi. The BJP held a rally led by state president P V N Madhav, who accused the Congress of attempting to create unrest through its protest outside the Prime Minister's residence. Madhav alleged that the NEET agitation had been "hijacked" by anti-national elements.Calling the protest outside the Prime Minister's residence an attack on democratic institutions, Madhav said the BJP would continue opposing attempts to "weaken national integrity".On the NEET issue, Madhav accused the Congress of ignoring paper leaks during previous governments and said the Centre had acted swiftly after irregularities surfaced, with arrests made and the examination and counselling process continuing.The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), meanwhile, accused BJP workers of attacking its state office in Vijayawada.APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji alleged that police used force against Congress workers instead of acting against those responsible for the attack. He claimed Youth Congress president Pawan Teja and other workers were injured, with Teja allegedly suffering a leg fracture.Shivaji said Rahul Gandhi had only raised concerns over NEET irregularities and paper leaks, but alleged that the Centre responded with force instead of addressing students' concerns. The APCC also announced that a delegation would meet the Andhra Pradesh Governor to submit a memorandum protesting the detention of Opposition leaders in Delhi.CM VIJAY BACKS RAHUL GANDHITamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief Vijay condemned the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, calling the Centre's action "against democracy".He also extended his party's support to the Opposition's protest inside Parliament over the Delhi developments.Reiterating TVK's long-standing position on NEET, CM Vijay said the examination system should be abolished completely, arguing that it had affected not just students but also their families."The Union government must respect the sentiments of our people and our students," he said, while reiterating that abolishing NEET was the only solution to the issue.CM Vijay also said education should be moved back to the State List, arguing that this would provide a permanent solution to concerns surrounding examinations such as NEET.CENTRE SUPPRESSING PROTEST: VIJAYANVijayan, the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, also condemned the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, accusing the Centre of attempting to suppress the protest.In a statement, Vijayan said the agitation over alleged NEET irregularities had continued for weeks, with Left-affiliated student organisations extending support to Sonam Wangchuk's protest from the beginning.He said Opposition parties and MPs later joined the agitation and alleged that protesters faced police action while raising concerns over the examination system.Vijayan claimed that attempts to suppress the movement would only increase public support for the protesters.ANNAMALAI QUESTIONS DELAY IN DIALOGUEBJP leader K Annamalai struck a different note, saying protests were a democratic right but questioning why the government took so long to initiate dialogue with protesters.Annamalai, who has previously defended NEET as a system that brought uniformity to medical admissions, said repeated paper leaks had caused immense stress among students and that the lack of accountability had contributed to their anger."Protest is a fundamental right in a democracy. The pertinent question is why did the government take so long to initiate dialogue?" he said.However, he cautioned protesters against allowing vested interests to hijack the movement and urged both the government and student groups to engage in meaningful dialogue.Annamalai said restoring students' confidence in the fairness and credibility of the examination system was essential for the country's future.- EndsPublished By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Jul 22, 2026 19:22 IST