The internal crisis within the AIADMK intensified on Tuesday after senior party leader and former Minister CV Shanmugam openly accused party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) of attempting to explore a tie-up with the DMK and announced support for Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government.

Addressing the media along with senior AIADMK leaders, including former Minister S.P. Velumani, Shanmugam said the party was passing through one of the most difficult phases in its history after suffering consecutive electoral defeats.

"The AIADMK is facing continuous setbacks, and there is an urgent need to revive the party and restore the rule envisioned by MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa," he said.

Referring to the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in which the AIADMK was pushed to third place with only 47 seats, Shanmugam said the NDA led by the AIADMK has failed to win the confidence of the people, and the verdict has been accepted with humility.

(IANS)

VIDEO | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: "We are not in alliance with any party except TVK," says AIADMK MLA C. Ve. Shanmugam as he reaches the state secretariat.
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) https://t.co/KrWGwWYkZF pic.twitter.com/BtrmLqxrAt

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 12, 2026

#WATCH | Chennai | AIADMK leader CV Shanmugam says, "...Some people proposed that we, as the AIADMK legislative party, should form a government with the support of the DMK. This proposal goes against the founding principles of our party because the AIADMK was founded to uproot… pic.twitter.com/t2pjkbCn80

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

#WATCH | Chennai | AIADMK leader CV Shanmugam arrives at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
He announced that AIADMK would extend support to the Vijay-led TVK government and the majority of the legislative party members elected SP Velumani as the Floor Leader of the AIADMK… pic.twitter.com/nSg8a2O2tt

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

Prabhakar, who was elected from the Thousand Lights constituency in the 2026 Assembly elections, defeated Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate Ezhlian Naganathan.

He holds a B.L. degree from Madras Law College (1977) and a B.A. from Loyola College, University of Madras (1974). His declared assets stand at Rs 7,74,80,858, while his liabilities are Rs 2,51,20,360.

VIDEO | TVK legislator JCD Prabhakar selected unopposed as the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker's post on Tuesday.
Accompanied by party founder and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, Prabhakar submitted the papers to Assembly principal secretary K Srinivasan. The 73-year-old leader was… pic.twitter.com/QdQt84DKKi

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 12, 2026

"AIADMK facing continuous defeat, must introspect" : AIADMK's CV Shanmugam faction announces support to TVK
NDTV's @jsamdaniel, @Vasudha156 & @DharanVija47684 join @ParmeshwarBawa with more details pic.twitter.com/cJJRiw8wo9

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2026

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President C Joseph Vijay is likely to undertake his first official visit to New Delhi later this month for a series of high-level meetings with the country's top leadership following the formation of his government in the state.

According to highly placed sources, the two-day visit is likely to take place either during the third or final week of May, after the anticipated expansion of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet expected after May 18.

Sources indicated that the visit has been tentatively planned once the new administration completes key governance-related exercises and administrative restructuring in Chennai. During the proposed visit, Vijay is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu as part of customary engagements undertaken by newly elected Chief Ministers after assuming office.

He is also likely to hold discussions with Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

(IANS)

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to face its first major test in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday with the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

TVK has fielded senior leader JCD Prabhakar for the post of Speaker. A three-time legislator and former AIADMK leader, Prabhakar joined TVK ahead of the Assembly elections and later emerged as one of the key architects of the party's organisational structure and election manifesto.

The 73-year-old leader was elected from the Thousand Lights Assembly constituency in Chennai. Political observers believe Prabhakar is likely to be elected unopposed, given the numerical strength currently enjoyed by the ruling alliance in the Assembly.

(IANS)

A major crisis within the AIADMK is likely to erupt into open confrontation in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, as rival factions led by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and senior leader S.P. Velumani have staked claim to the party's leadership in the House, triggering intense political and legal debate.

The crisis unfolded during the Assembly proceedings on Monday after both Palaniswami and Velumani separately approached Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah, each claiming to command the support of the majority of AIADMK MLAs and asserting their right to lead the party in the Assembly.

The unprecedented development has created uncertainty over who would be officially recognised as the AIADMK Legislature Party leader and who would exercise powers such as appointing the party whip and representing the party's position inside the Assembly.

(IANS)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has ordered the closure of 717 state-run liquor shops within 500 metres of temples, school, and bus stands across the state.

The shops - operated by TASMAC, or the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, are to be shut within two weeks. The order is the first by the superstar actor and leader of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which secured a dominant win in last month's Assembly election.