The Beast suit looks the part; now be the beast, chief minister

The Beast suit looks the part; now be the beast, chief minister 

STORYBOARD ARUN RAM 18.05.2026

Chief minister C Joseph Vijay has kept the black ‘Beast’ suit on. And the sartorial symbolism matters: he is different. Yet symbolism can only open the door; governance must walk through it. Tamil Nadu today is not merely watching what Vijay does; it is watching whom he chooses to do it with. A full cabinet is yet to take shape, and political pressure is mounting. 

The trickiest pressure comes from the AIADMK faction led by C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani, reportedly seeking at least half a dozen ministerial berths. For Vijay, this is more than coalition arithmetic. It threatens to strike at the heart of his political brand. He did not arrive in office as a veteran administrator promising incremental change. He came as an outsider with a language of renewal. His campaign rested heavily on two intertwined promises: clean governance and a break from cynical politics.

 People voted not just for a new govt but for a different political culture. That promise risks early dilution if cabinet formation begins by yielding to pressure groups with tainted faces. Vijay must ask himself a difficult yet necessary question: can a govt elected on the promise of clean governance afford even the appearance of compromise at birth? The answer may determine whether his tenure acquires moral authority or merely administrative power. 

The larger challenge is corruption itself. Anti-corruption politics in India often collapses into spectacle — raids, headlines, accusations against rivals and dramatic speeches. Citizens encounter corruption not in headlines but in queues — at the village office, municipal counter, taluk office, registration department and police station. They meet it while seeking a birth certificate, a land patta, a building approval, an electricity connection or a welfare benefit. This is where Vijay’s anti-corruption mission must begin. 

The govt should launch a cleanup mission beginning at the lowest administrative level. Every govt service application should be digitised and trackable. Citizens must know where a file sits, why it is delayed and whom to approach if timelines are breached. Govt offices must display mandatory service timelines and grievance escalation systems. Anonymous public feedback should be encouraged. Officers repeatedly facing complaints should face departmental scrutiny. Corruption survives not because rules are absent but because consequences are rare. 

Reform cannot stop at the clerk’s desk. Tamil Nadu’s deeper corruption challenge lies at the other end of the pyramid — in procurement and contracts. Kickbacks for infrastructure projects and civic contracts have become so institutionalised that whispers of protest among contractors are often about the hike in percentage. Citizens may not know the technical details of tenders, but they instinctively understand when contracts appear opaque or politically favoured. And, when the blacktop of a newly laid road peels off, it exposes the gravel of graft. 

Every govt contract should be placed in the public domain with tender details, competing bids and award rationale accessible online. Independent procurement oversight, periodic third-party audits and transparent disclosure of project costs and timelines can restore public trust. A chief minister serious about fighting corruption should insist that sunlight, not secrecy, governs public spending. This may discomfort many people in the system who nurse the dream of continuing with their corrupt ways once the new govt gets over its celebratory phase. 

That’s when Vijay should remind them what he said after taking the oath on May 10: “Erase that thought right this minute.” Dismantling corruption requires more than personal honesty at the top; it demands institutional redesign. Vijay begins office with advantages most leaders envy — enormous goodwill, emotional connection with supporters and the political capital of novelty. But novelty fades quickly in politics. Govts are remembered not for the excitement of arrival but for the discipline of decision-making. Like the chief minister’s attire, governance should be in black and white. - 

arun.ram@timesofindia.com 

POKER FACE DMK will never understand reality – C JOSEPH VIJAY , TAMIL NADU CHIEF MINISTER You will. Soon 

18/05/2026, 06:21 Times of India ePaper chennai - Read Today’s English News Paper Online https://epaper.indiatimes.com/timesepaper/publication-the-times-of-india,city-chennai.cms 2/3 18/05/2026, 06:21 Times of India ePaper chennai - Read Today’s English News Paper Online

CM Vijay, Udhayanidhi spar on social media

CM Vijay, Udhayanidhi spar on social media 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  14.05.2026

Chennai : Hours after the assembly session was adjourned sine die, chief minister C Joseph Vijay and former deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin were involved in a war of words on social media. While Vijay mocked DMK for not getting the majority in 2006, Udhayanidhi responded, saying that DMK was not involved in a postpoll alliance or horse trading despite not having enough MLAs back then. 

Vijay issued a statement on X in response to the remarks made by Udhayanidhi in the assembly earlier in the day that TVK lacked people’s support as it does not have majority. Vijay said DMK was repeating “old, stale and sour arguments” by claiming TVK lacked public support. 

“DMK will never understand reality,” he said. Vijay said TVK secured 34.92% vote share while contesting alone now, against DMK’s standalone vote share of 24.19%. Referring to the 2006 election when DMK had only 96 MLAs and formed minority govt with support of allies, Vijay made a sarcastic remark that ‘DMK won all 234 seats with 100% votes from people.’ 

“People of Tamil Nadu must have smirked recalling the single majority govt formed by DMK in 2006,’’ he said. 

Udhayanidhi hit back at Vijay, saying the party did not attempt to form a postpoll alliance or indulge in “horse-trading” to capture power even when it did not have majority, unlike TVK. Udhayanidhi said Vijay became chief minister with the support of parties and votes that were “rejected” by the people. Drawing a comparison with the 2006 DMK regime, he said that govt was formed with the support of alliance partners and not by “buying MLAs, engineering defections or splitting parties”. DMK accepted the people’s verdict and chose to sit in the opposition benches, he said. 

“We did not visit Lok Bhavan everyday out of desperation for power,” he said. He said DMK may have lost the election, but forcing TVK to continue the Dravidian model welfare schemes itself was “a victory for the opposition.”

Rift widens in AIADMK, rebel netas set to back Vijay during floor test

Rift widens in AIADMK, rebel netas set to back Vijay during floor test 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK HYDERABAD. 11.05.2026

Chennai : Rift in AIADMK appeared to widen Sunday with party seniors C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani holding meeting with MLAs even as general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami convened a separate meeting of district secretaries. 

AIADMK sources said majority of MLAs and district secretaries attended the meeting convened by the rebel group. The meetings, held on the day when TVK president C Joseph Vijay was being sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM, also discussed about supporting his party in the assembly during the floor test. 

AIADMK sources said the rebel group was likely to vote for TVK, claiming the decision was taken in the meeting of MLAs with Shanmugam at his residence in Chennai. “They have decided to vote for TVK in the assembly and to come out of the NDA headed by BJP,” an AIADMK source said. 

In the recently held assembly election, AIADMK got only 47 seats and lost the status of opposition party. This is the first time that AIADMK is not in the opposition for more than five years. Shanmugam and Velumani had proposed the idea of backing TVK soon after the election results came, but EPS refused. Disgruntled, the rebel faction sought the support of MLAs and got backing of more than two-thirds of the MLAs required for immunity from anti-defection law. 

Meanwhile, Shanmugam contacted TVK general secretary N Anand. “But Vijay didn’t oblige. He wanted AIADMK MLAs supporting TVK to resign and face bypolls on TVK’s symbol. 

But the AIADMK MLAs are reluctant to do so as they might face backlash in their constituencies if they resign,” sources said. AIADMK sources said efforts by few party seniors for patching up the two factions had failed.

Vijay and four musketeers: In search of magic number

 Vijay and four musketeers: In search of magic number 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 09.05.2026

Four key TVK leaders, considered part of Vijay’s core team, played a central role in wooing Left parties and VCK as the party intensified efforts to prove its numbers to form the govt. T Nagar MLA-elect Bussy Anand, TVK general secretary, held discussions with CPI state secretary M Veerapandian, while Tiruparankundram MLA-elect C T R Nirmal Kumar met CPM state secretary P Shanmugam soon after TVK sent letters seeking support. Though CPI and CPM publicly declared “unconditional support” to TVK on Friday, sources said talks included assurances from TVK that it would not align with “anti-secular forces”, would oppose the three language policy and NEET, and resist policies “pushed by BJP”. 

Meanwhile, Villivakkam MLA Aadhav Arjuna held multiple rounds of talks with VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan after Vijay personally spoke to him over the phone. Unlike the Left parties, VCK sought ministerial representation, sources said. Following talks, VCK’s high-level committee met on Friday evening to take a final call. In another round of outreach, Tiruchengode MLA-elect Arun Raj met IUML leaders. However, talks failed as IUML said it would support the Governor’s efforts to facilitate govt formation but did not clarify if it would back TVK. 

FAB FOUR: 1 Bussy Anand; 2 AadhavArjuna; 3 CTRNirmal 2 AadhavArjuna; 3 CTRNirmal 2 AadhavArjuna; 3 CTRNirmal 2 AadhavArjuna; 3 CTRNirmal Kumar; 4 Arun Ra

DMK to prop up ADMK govt in TN? Stalin will take call EPS Likely To Meet Guv With Claim Today

DMK to prop up ADMK govt in TN? Stalin will take call EPS Likely To Meet Guv With Claim Today

 Julie.Mariappan@timesofindia.com08.05.2026

Chennai : The unthinkable in Tamil Nadu politics turned probable on Thursday when DMK president M K Stalin reportedly told his party MLAs that AIADMK had been seeking his support to form the govt and checkmate TVK president C Joseph Vijay from becoming chief minister. 

The legislators left the decision to Stalin, multiple sources told TOI. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, meanwhile, is understood to have sought governor R V Arlekar’s appointment on Friday. Hours before the DMK legislators’ meeting, Stalin was closeted with leaders of VCK, CPI and CPM, whose six MLAs (two each) can help the TVK-Congress combine fill the five-seat gap to cross the 118-mark. 

The topic of AIADMK outreach came up in this meeting, too, and the DMK allies told Stalin they would convey their decision on Friday. Earlier on Thursday, governor R V Arlekar had told TVK that it was yet to show the support of majority of MLAs to form the govt. TVK is the single largest party with 108 legislators, while DMK has 59 and AIADMK 47 MLAs in the 234-member assembly. 

Allies to discuss future course of action today 

Two independent sources told TOI that the talks started with AIADMK general secretary calling up DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on May 4 evening when TVK emerged winner. Functionaries of DMK’s allies other than Congress, which moved to the TVK side on Wednesday, have been meeting Stalin for three days. “In Thursday’s meeting, the topic of social media being abuzz with DMK-AIADMK talks came up,” said a source. “The allies said it would be taken into account during their respective party meetings on Friday to decide on the future course of action,” said an alliance party functionary. 

Asked about the possibility of VCK approving a DMK-AIADMK understanding, a senior VCK member said: “When there is a threat in the name of TVK, why not AIADMK and DMK join hands to provide a stable govt?” AIADMK legislators continued to be holed up in a resort in Puducherry for the second day AIADMK’s allies PMK (4 seats), AMMK and BJP (1 each) have been lying low. 

VCK sends mixed signals on supporting TVK to form govt

VCK sends mixed signals on supporting TVK to form govt

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesofindia.com 06.05.2026

Chennai : VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan has sent mixed signals on the question of extending support to TVK in the state assembly. In a statement issued early Tuesday, Thiruma said he wanted to express his ‘heartfelt gratitude to people who had endorsed coalition govt in the state, which was proposed by VCK.

’ “People have delivered the verdict in such a way that no single party has absolute majority required to form a govt. This teaches us a nuanced political lesson. In other words, it is clear that the people of Tamil Nadu desire coalition govt,” he said. He further said that TVK was not treated as VCK’s enemy. “Our goal was solely to protect secularism. Therefore, we did not position TVK as our primary target of opposition. Instead, we focused intensely on exposing the BJP and AIADMK,” he said and equated the votes won by DMK and TVK as those against ‘sangh parivar politics.’ While the statement was seen as VCK’s openness for a power-sharing agreement with TVK, Thiruma who spoke to reporters after calling on chief minister M K Stalin said VCK was “not exploring the possibility of a coalition govt with TVK.” 

“We are still with the DMK. We stand for secularism and will proceed with this alliance for the welfare of the people of TN. We are not expecting any invitation from TVK,” he said. “We have achieved 100% success in our objective. We are proud of it,” Thiruma said in the presence of CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and CPM state secretary P Shanmugam. However, Thiruma said they would take a joint decision with the left parties on the future course of action. “We are firm on our ideology-driven alliance. We will take a collective decision,” Thiruma said when responding to whether they would extend support for Vijay to form the govt. He refused to comment on reports of one alliance partner, the Congress leadership, tilting toward TVK. 

VCK general secretary D Ravikumar told TOI that VCK was not contemplating joining TVK nor had Vijay’s party reached out to them seeking support. “BJP will never allow that, and they also want Congress kept away from forming the govt. So, they will play their cards to bring AIADMK in to fit their game plan and help TVK form the govt,” he said

NOTA got 747 votes in seat that DMK lost by one vote

NOTA got 747 votes in seat that DMK lost by one vote

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 06.05.2026

Chennai : The NOTA (none of the above) option polled 747 votes in Tirupattur where DMK minister K R Periyakaruppan lost by one vote to TVK’s Seenivasa Sethupathy. In nine other constituencies too, NOTA polled more votes than the victory margins. 

TVK won four of the seats, AIADMK three, DMK two and BJP. Overall, NOTA polled 1,99,811 votes (0.41%) in 2026, a dip from 3,45,487 (0.75%) votes in 2021. NOTA polled 5,61,174 votes (1.3%) when it was introduced in 2016. Experts said the electoral reform lost its significance within a decade. “NOTA at its peak polled 7,000 to 8,000 votes in the first election. In this election, the highest NOTA got was 2,116 votes in Kavundampalayam. 

In a three-way contest, NOTA votes have come down,” said professor Ramu Manivannan, former head of the department of politics and political administration, University of Madras. “Without any power for recall or referendum or review of candidates, NOTA has become a kind of symbolic gesture. It’s a half-hearted electoral reform, and the political system is unwilling to review it,” he added. 

P Joseph Victor Raj, coordinator, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, National Election Watch, said the youth found an alternative with the entry of TVK, which brought down the number of dissent votes in 2026. 

Besides Tiruppatur, Paramathy Velur, Thirukoyilur, Kulithalai, Polur, Kallakurichi, Kumbakonam, Udhagamandalam, Veppanahalli and Kanyakumari had victory margins lower than the NOTA votes. In 2021, victory margins were lower than NOTA votes in 13 constituencies.

Man waits 5 hours, catches runaway wife at polling booth

Man waits 5 hours, catches runaway wife at polling booth 

24.04.2026

Jalpaiguri : A tense domestic drama unfolded at booth no. 25/238 in Phansidewa’s Tarabari, under the MatigaraNaxalbari assembly segment in Siliguri subdivision, on Thursday — when a man staked out a polling station for hours to intercept his wife, who had eloped with another man two years ago, reports Pinak Priya Bhattacharya . 

He had reasoned, correctly, that she would have to show up to vote. And so he waited. Early in the morning, eyewitnesses at Tarabari Primary School noticed a man standing outside, speaking to no one, giving nothing away. It was a humid, overcast day and the sweat was visible on him, but he didn’t move. Hours passed. He stayed. 

At 2pm, a woman arrived at the booth with her voter’s slip and EPIC card. The man moved instantly — lunging at her, trying to snatch her voter’s card, pulling her hair and wrapping his arms around her from behind. The two struggled until CAPF personnel rushed in, freed the woman and restrained the man, who kept shouting and cursing. 

It emerged that the woman was his wife. She had eloped with her partner two years ago. He had calculated that the SIR process — which had prompted widespread anxiety about voter deletions — would compel her to appear at her booth. Once restrained, the man demanded that CAPF not allow his wife to vote until his name was removed from her EPIC card as her husband. 

The security personnel declined. After twenty minutes, they ensured she cast her vote and then escorted her out of the area. The man left the polling station in a fury, throwing curses at the security personnel and the officials. The officials, for their part, could not keep straight faces. “I have been doing election duty for 26 years and this is a first-of-itskind experience for me,” said one polling official.

Biriyani stands, malls make a killing even as rest of Chennai city deserted

Biriyani stands, malls make a killing even as rest of Chennai city deserted

 Vivek.Narayanan@timesofindia.com 24.04.2026

Chennai : Empty roads, brisk biriyani sales, crowded juice stalls where youngsters boasted their inked fingers, cab drivers fleecing passengers — this was Chennai on April 23, when the city went to vote. 

As voting commenced, the characteristic hustle and bustle that defines the city disappeared. Public transport moved with lighter loads, cinema theatres opened only in the evening, shop shutters remained half-closed, traffic on arterial roads, including NSC Bose Road, Anna Salai, T Nagar was sparse as people made their way to nearby polling stations. 

“It’s always like this on election days,” said Rajesh, a vegetable vendor in Mylapore, with fewer customers than on regular mornings. “People are either at the booths or staying indoors. Business doesn’t pick up until evening.”

 Biriyani stands and street vendors, on the other hand, saw an unexpected surge. “The sale today was much higher than that of normal weekdays,” said Ezhilarasi, who runs a biriyani stall in R K Nagar. “People come after voting. Some orders were pre-booked." “We’ve never seen such brisk afternoon sales on an election day before,” said a restaurant manager on NSC Bose Road. “Families seem to be celebrating their civic duty with a meal out.” 

As the evening descended and polling booths began shutting down, the city’s commercial landscape transformed dramatically. Shopping malls across Chennai witnessed an unexpected surge in footfall. “We had delayed opening of malls to help the staff cast their vote. But most of them were open by noon,” said Aslam Packeer Mohamed, managing director, Marina Mall. Meanwhile, Tirupur Subramaniam from the Tamil Nadu Theatres Association said that film shows were allowed to commence only after 6pm, when polling ended.

Choked highways, bus service disruptions give voters a tough time on day of polling

 Choked highways, bus service disruptions give voters a tough time on day of polling

GST Road was one of the worst affected stretches as vehicles moved at a snail’s pace on Thursday morning, leaving motorists going to the outskirts for voting anguished. A senior Transport Department official said disruptions were largely reported at the Kilambakkam bus terminus near Chennai

Clogged stretch: Vehicles lined up on GST Road near Perungalathur on Thursday.Saptarshi Bhattacharya

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI/Erode/  Madurai/Coimbatore

24.04.2026

Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road witnessed heavy traffic congestion between Perungulathur and the Kilambakkam bus terminus in the morning of Thursday, when the Assembly elections was held across the State.

Cars and buses inched forward at a snail’s pace, taking almost an hour to cross the stretch, which is barely three to four kilometres long. It left several motorists anguished, as some were heading to the outskirts to cast their votes.

Vetrivel Rajan, an advocate from Tambaram, said he was stuck on the stretch for nearly two hours on his way to vote in Oorapakkam. “I was not sure when I would reach or when I could cast my vote. I did not expect this kind of traffic when I started from my residence,” he said. However, the jam began clearing after 10 a.m. A section of people said that owing to closure of schools, families that had cast their vote early were looking to get away for a short break, contributing to the influx of vehicles.

Sources in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway also witnessed heavy traffic on Wednesday night. They said the traffic was heavier than what was witnessed during Deepavali last year. Traffic congestion was also reported at a few places, including near the Chengalpattu Collectorate and town, due to the movement of local vehicles, which were ferrying voters, and election vehicles. Since vehicles were frequently criss-crossing on the highway, the flow of traffic slowed down considerably.

Travel across Tamil Nadu also saw disruptions on polling day, with many commuters facing delays and difficulty in accessing bus services as they tried to reach their home towns to cast their votes. A senior Transport Department official said disruptions were largely reported at the Kilambakkam bus terminus near Chennai. Heavy traffic congestion on GST Road on the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday, caused due to a surge in private vehicles heading to the southern districts, delayed the entry of incoming buses between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., affecting schedules.

Passengers protest

At the new bus stand at Solar in Erode district, passengers bound for southern districts, such as Madurai and Dindigul, protested, demanding that more buses be operated immediately. Many said they had arrived from Chennai and other cities early on Thursday morning but were unable to proceed further due to the lack of services. Tension prevailed for some time as commuters raised slogans and argued with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) staff.

Passengers also pointed to operational constraints at the new facility, where only TNSTC buses were being run, while private omni buses continued to function from the Corporation’s Central Bus Stand following an interim court order. This, they said, added to the congestion and delays.

In Coimbatore, hundreds of passengers waited for several hours at the Singanallur bus stand on Wednesday night for buses to the southern districts. A section of commuters staged a brief road blockade in front of the bus stand, protesting the shortage of services. Kiran Kumar, a student, said he reached the bus stand at 6 a.m. but managed to board a Dindigul-bound bus only around 7 a.m., after struggling through heavy crowds. Passengers who reached the Mattuthavani bus stand in Madurai said delays in getting direct buses from cities such as Chennai forced them to rely on connecting services. However, overcrowding at transit points such as Salem and Kallakurichi left many stuck midway.

‘Services streamlined’

The senior Transport Department official said services were later streamlined and additional buses were operated. As of Thursday morning, about 6,738 buses had been run across the State, with around 4.4 lakh passengers boarding from Kilambakkam alone. From April 21 to 23, a total of 10,663 buses, including 5,574 special services, were operated from Kilambakkam, Koyambedu, and Madhavaram bus termini.

Officials said more services would be operated through the day and urged passengers to avoid last-minute travel. However, commuters said the arrangements fell short of demand during the peak rush, leading to overcrowding and delays at several bus stands.