- Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised Vijay by referencing his wife's divorce case in Chengalpattu court
- Vijay accused DMK of corruption and promised to recover misappropriated public funds
- Udhayanidhi Stalin dismissed the chief minister's speech as one curated for "reels"
Udhayanidhi Stalin chose to get personal: his comments veering from the political to the personal as he attacked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay.
Stalin, who is the opposition leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, mentioned that the state knows the "story of the wife looking for a husband in the Chengalpattu court", a possible tacit reference to Vijay's wife Sangkeetha Sornalingam filing the divorce petition before the Chengalpattu Family Court in December 2025, seeking legal separation to end their 27-years of married life.
"It is condemnable that he (Vijay) insulted the farmers by saying that the farmers are protesting at the instigation of the opposition parties. His statement that he is telling a short story is completely against their dignity. Only Tamil Nadu knows the story of the wife looking for a husband in the Chengalpattu court. Therefore, @actorvijay Forget about it, at least for now," Stalin posted on X, moving from political to personal.
சட்டப்பேரவையில் ஆளுநர் உரைக்கு பதிலுரை என்ற பெயரில் scripted அவதூறுகளை அள்ளிவீசி acting performance காட்டி இருக்கிறார் முதலமைச்சர்.
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) June 23, 2026
பேரவையின் live Camera-வை, சினிமா camera என்று நினைத்துக் கொண்டு அவர் பேச, அதனை எதிர்க்கட்சிகளின் குறுக்கீடுகள் இன்றி single take-இல் shoot செய்ய… pic.twitter.com/54XX1k929L
The high-profile divorce case is ongoing at the Chengalpattu Family Court, with the next hearing scheduled for August 7, as both parties attempt to navigate the legal process.
Stalin's acerbic post was after actor-turned-politician Vijay shared a story in the Assembly on a "missing man", seen as a tacit reference to MK Stalin.
Earlier today, speaking in the Assembly, Vijay launched also launched a pointed attack on the DMK, saying his government would recover the public funds allegedly misappropriated under the guise of "party fund collections".
His sharp remarks triggered immediate, vehement objections from the opposition benches. Udhayanidhi protested, raising a point of order demanding that the Chief Minister ought to speak that way only if he has evidence.
The speaker, however, ruled out any interventions during Vijay's speech and said the chief minister should be allowed to complete his reply to the Governor's address to the Assembly. But the DMK members stood protesting.
Resuming his speech, Vijay said, unlike the previous DMK government, the TVK will never indulge in corrupt practices, nor will it allow anyone to "loot" the government coffers.
Before winding up his nearly 45-minute fiery speech in the Assembly, the chief minister, pointing to the empty opposition benches, asked Speaker JCD Prabhakar if he could make a hand gesture in the House.
"I wanted to enact this little bit in the presence of the DMK members. But they have all walked out. Can I make the gesture, with your permission?" Vijay asked. Immediately, the speaker replied, "Why not, nothing wrong".
Then a smiling Vijay made a downward hand-slashing gesture, as the Treasury benches responded with loud thumping of tables, and it left the speaker himself amused.
The gesture appeared to be mimicking former chief minister MK Stalin's viral hand gesture he had made at the DMK headquarters on a day he sealed the deal with the Congress ahead of polls. The gesture was interpreted by many as a signal that "everything is settled" or "all finished".
#WATCH | Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay seeks permission from the Speaker and performs a cinematic gesture as he concludes his speech in the State Assembly.
— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2026
(Video source: Tamil Nadu State Assembly) pic.twitter.com/Y7BlOXHkYI
Outside the Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin dismissed the chief minister's speech as one curated for "reels".
🔴#BREAKING | "TVK has made Assembly into cinema" : DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin hits back at Vijay
— NDTV (@ndtv) June 23, 2026
NDTV's @jsamdaniel joins @GargiRawat with more details pic.twitter.com/DM3gzjDq3X
"TVK has made the assembly into a cinema theatre, they've started whistling now. Soon, ministers will play songs and dance to item songs. The chief minister's speech was only for reels and social media. Reels can be made from his nearly 30-minute speech. It was scripted and very artificial. He has started acting. The speaker is saying 'Action' and 'cut'. And next they will go for a 'once more' take. He is asking the speaker's permission for action. Next, a caravan, makeup artists and a stunt master will come here. They will turn the assembly into a shooting spot," Junior Stalin said.
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