WHEN INEXPERIENCE TOOK A FATAL TURN

AT 15, R Prakash's (name changed) idea of politics was simple; he just had to make sure the banners of his idol were the biggest and prominent ones at the annual Mariyamman temple festival in Karur.

- PEARSON LENEKAR SR Karur

As decades passed by the banners paved way for Facebook posts and WhatsApp updates, and his years of devotion to the actor led him to join TVK. Now at 38, Prakash is a district-level functionary of the party entrusted with mobilising supporters. He played a key role in organising Vijay's rally in Karur Prakash exemplified the hundreds of people, predominantly men, who were the foot soldiers in executing one of the most watched political campaigns, launched on September 13 in Tiruchy by Vijay.

Like Prakash, they are all loyal fans of Vijay for years, majority of them being middle-class officegoers, small-time traders, students, and former fan club secretaries, and some are now 'district secretaries', a coveted post in major parties.