Kamaraj

TTV Dhinakaran announced AMMK MLA S Kamaraj faces disqualification for supporting the ruling TVK government during a floor test. Dhinakaran accused Kamaraj of betrayal and stated the party will pursue disqualification, calling the TVK's acceptance of support 'horse-trading'. He removed Kamaraj from the party, vowing to take necessary steps.

AMMK MLA S Kamaraj has extended support to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, a day after his party chief accused the TVK of forging his signature. This move follows a rebel AIADMK faction also announcing support, significantly strengthening Vijay's administration amidst ongoing political realignments in Tamil Nadu.

Allotted tourism and higher education posts

During a Tamil Nadu Cabinet expansion, Governor Arlekar cautioned Congress MLA S. Rajesh Kumar to adhere strictly to the written oath after he deviated to praise party leaders. Kumar, along with other new ministers, took their oaths at Lok Bhavan. Subsequently, other TVK legislators also added party-specific slogans to their affirmations.

Dhinakaran said there were media reports that his party had supported TVK. He alleged that there could be a forged letter purportedly supporting TVK.

AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran has questioned the authenticity of a video showing his party's winning candidate, S Kamaraj, supporting actor Vijay's TVK to form the government. Dhinakaran alleged the video is AI-generated and demanded an inquiry into the forged letter submitted to the Governor.

The CPM has warned it will reconsider its support for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government. This comes if the ruling party includes the rebel faction of the AIADMK in its cabinet. CPM state secretary P Shanmugam stated this at a press conference. The party's support was initially to prevent President's Rule and BJP's influence.

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay faces his first floor test with a slim majority after his TVK party emerged as the single-largest party. Rebel AIADMK MLAs have pledged support, while a court order temporarily bars one TVK MLA from voting. A forgery row also complicates the situation ahead of the crucial assembly vote.

AIADMK candidate Kamaraj R secured a landslide victory, defeating his nearest rival from DMK by a margin of 41,724 votes. Kamaraj garnered a total of 1,03,462 votes, while DMK's Mohamed Mubarak secured 61,738 votes. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's S. Prabhakaran finished third with 54,530 votes.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay desires a unified cabinet, including supporting parties, amidst alliance strains. Cracks appeared as CPM threatened to withdraw support if rebel AIADMK MLAs are inducted, citing a mandate for clean governance. The TVK government, formed with outside support, faces a crucial decision on cabinet expansion.

Calling it “a mockery of democracy”, Dhinakaran said he had urged the governor to take serious note of the developments. He submitted a representation seeking an invitation for AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami to form the next govt.

AIADMK faces internal turmoil as Edappadi Palaniswami and rebel leader C Ve Shanmugam trade accusations of anti-party activities. Palaniswami removed several leaders, including Shanmugam and S P Velumani, for allegedly supporting a rival government in exchange for ministerial posts. Rebels counter, accusing Palaniswami of seeking DMK support to become Chief Minister.

The shooting for 'Maragadha Naanayam 2', starring Aadhi and Priya Bhavani Shankar, has officially concluded. Actor Daniel Annie Pope shared his excitement, describing the filming as a "beautiful family reunion." The fantasy comedy sequel, directed by A. R. K. Saravan, is now entering its final stages, with fans eagerly anticipating its release.

In a remarkable display of political prowess, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay conquered his inaugural assembly challenge, clinching a confidence motion with an impressive margin of 144-22. The victory was enhanced by DMK's strategic walkout and the endorsement from a segment of AIADMK legislators. Vijay expressed heartfelt appreciation for the support, heralding a pivotal advancement for his administration.

Kavery Nambisan is a surgeon and a novelist from Karnataka. She has won the Tata Excellence Award for her work in tea plantations in Tamil Nadu. She has written articles and essays on medical and literary issues. Her novels include ‘The Scent of Pepper’, ‘The Story That Must Not Be Told’ and ‘A Town Like Ours’. Her two non-fiction books are ‘A Luxury Called Health’ and ‘Cherry Red, Cherry Black’. Today she discusses her latest novel, ‘Rising Sons’.

As part of the reshuffle, Vijay retained the Poverty Alleviation portfolio and reassigned the Women Welfare department, previously held by him, to newly inducted minister K Jegadeshwari. Congress leaders S Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan have been allotted the Tourism and Higher Education portfolios, respectively. Another TVK minister, Mohamed Farvas, has been allocated the Labour Welfare and Skill Development portfolio.