Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief Vijay, buoyed by the support from the Left parties, on Friday called on Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan in Chennai in connection with securing an invite from him to form the government.
A 13-year-old boy was found dead in a swampy area on the banks of the Noyyal river in Coimbatore. Two minor friends have been apprehended in connection with the alleged murder, which was triggered by vulgar remarks made by the victim.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has clarified his Sanatan Dharma eradication remark, stating that he meant to abolish the caste system that divides people into upper and lower castes, advocating for equal rights for all in temples and society.
According to the PM, CMC means "Corruption, Mafia, Crime."
A review of the accuracy of various exit polls in predicting the outcomes of recent assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu, highlighting the performance of different pollsters.
'The AIADMK will lose a lot of votes simply because it is aligned with the BJP.'
As results of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry are declared, here's how the big names fared.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has launched a new political movement focused on 'common man politics,' rejecting personality cults and hereditary power, aiming to position Tamil Nadu as the premier state in India.
The high-intensity election campaign in Tamil Nadu concluded with accusations and counter-accusations between the DMK and AIADMK, while new entrant TVK made its presence felt. Key issues included state autonomy, corruption, law and order, and the delimitation bill.
Actor Vijay has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. His party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured a notable victory in its debut election, ending the dominance of DMK and AIADMK.
Building a party from scratch and leading it to electoral success is an entirely different challenge.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday slammed the Congress and DMK over the defeat of the amendment bill regarding the Women's Reservation Act in Parliament but said the government was determined to implement it and that "no power in the world can stop us," from doing so.
Political leaders in Tamil Nadu, including TTV Dhinakaran and Anbumani Ramadoss, have strongly condemned the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore district. Two people have been reportedly arrested in connection with the incident.
Tamil Nadu's AIADMK, leading the NDA in the state, has released its first list of 23 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, renominating key leaders and fielding experienced legislators from their traditional strongholds.
The Tamil Nadu cabinet will be expanded with the inclusion of two Congress MLAs in the C Joseph Vijay-led ministry, marking the national party's return to government in Tamil Nadu after decades.
Senior Congress functionary Praveen Chakravarty has questioned the DMK's flagship women's assistance scheme, suggesting it's superstitious to believe it alone will ensure electoral success, citing examples of similar schemes failing to secure victories for other parties.
The AIADMK is facing a potential split after post-election disagreements, with one faction voting against the government and another defying party orders. Key leaders have been removed from their posts, and accusations are flying between the opposing sides.
Senior DMK leader KR Periakaruppan lost the Tiruppattur assembly seat by one vote to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's Seenivasa Sethupathy R in the Tamil Nadu elections. The defeat highlights the impact of individual ballots and the rise of actor Vijay's TVK.
Vijay said the 2026 assembly election carried a new environment that had never seen before.
TVK national spokesperson Felix Gerald expressed confidence that the party would form the government in Tamil Nadu with an absolute majority as initial election trends showed the party 'scaling high'.
'Tamil Nadu has 42% of its population in the 18 to 39 age group. The bulk of the population in this age group voted for Vijay and women voters too voted for him in big numbers.'
The VCK party, led by Thol Thirumavalavan, will announce its official position on supporting Vijay's TVK in forming the government. The decision follows discussions regarding power-sharing and key positions within the new government.
TVK's chances of forming a government in Tamil Nadu are uncertain as it seeks support from Left parties and VCK after winning its maiden Assembly election. The Left parties are deliberating, while VCK will announce its decision on Saturday, adding suspense to the political situation.
CPI-M state secretary P Shanmugam said that the party will reconsider its support to the TVK government if it accommodates the rebel faction of the AIADMK in the Cabinet.
Vijay's TVK is poised to win its debut Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, drawing parallels to Arvind Kejriwal's AAP's rise in Delhi. Both parties capitalised on public disenchantment with established political structures, promising change and fighting corruption.
'If a floor test happens, one group of MLAs may abstain to allow the confidence vote to pass. So theoretically, he can run a minority government as long as the others won't join each other to vote him out.'
Launched in 2024, the TVK has Vijay's shift into politics was not sudden as he had been doing groundwork since 2009, when he launched his fan club, the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam.
Whether he comes to power or not, both his admirers and opponents agree on one thing -- Vijay may well turn out to be the 'X factor'.
The Gandhis have served both the Congress and India. But it has been 12 years since the 2014 verdict, and the returns have been diminishing. It is time for them to step aside, let the party find its own footing, and allow someone else to make the hard calls. That is what the Congress needs. And frankly, it is what India needs too, points out Harishchandra.
'Remember Vijay had never spoke of himself as a Christian when he was a film star.' 'The BJP strategy is they want the Christian minority constituency to move away from the DMK.' 'That is what the BJP wants so that it will be very easy to mobilise Hindu votes.' 'This strategy is to weaken the Dravidian ideology and bring in religion based politics into Tamil Nadu.'
The Madras High Court has issued notices to key political figures and the Election Commission following a petition alleging corrupt practices during the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, including the use of children to influence voters.
The AINRC-led NDA has won the Puducherry Assembly elections and is set to form the government. Chief Minister N Rangasamy won both seats he contested.
The Madras High Court has restrained TVK MLA R Srinivasa Sethupathi from voting, including in the upcoming confidence motion, due to a petition challenging his one-vote victory.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
Vijay was appointed CM after he presented letters of support from the VCK and the IUML who have two MLAs each.
In Puducherry, where constituencies have fewer than 30,000 electors on average, it is usual for N Rangaswamy to call out people he knows by name during his roadside election meetings.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expanded his Cabinet, inducting 23 more legislators as ministers, including two from the Congress party, marking their return to governance in the state after nearly 60 years.
'EPS exposed all the traitors. The DMK has given them political asylum. They are political orphans.'
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
The Vanniyar vote can tip the balance in 70 to 75 assembly constituencies of the 234 in the state, mainly in the Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruppathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Villupuram and Kallakurichi districts.
