Tamil Nadu Government

Cong joins TN govt, CM Vijay expands Cabinet by inducting 23 more ministers

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday expanded his Cabinet by inducting 23 more legislators as ministers, including two from the Congress, which marked the return of the grand old party to governance in Tamil Nadu after almost 60 years. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Lok Bhavan and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the minister-designates. TVK MLAs, including Srinath, S Kamali, C Vijayalakshmi and R V Ranjithkumar were initially sworn-in as ministers. Congress party's S Rajesh Kumar, representing Killiyoor, and P Viswanathan, who won from Melur segment, took oath as ministers. AICC incharge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, said the inclusion of his party MLAs in the Cabinet heralded a "turning point" in the political history of Tamil Nadu. "Congress cadres have been striving for power for the last 59 years and have been working for it with loyalty and dedication. Now, they have got it," Chodankar told PTI ...

TN CM Vijay keeps Home, assigns portfolios; Sengottaiyan gets finance

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has recommended to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar the portfolios to be allocated to the council of ministers who were sworn in along with him on May 10 and it has been approved by the governor, Lok Bhavan said on Saturday. According to the Lok Bhavan press release, Vijay will handle public, general administration, police, women and youth welfare, welfare of children, aged, differently abled persons, municipal administration and urban and water supply. Similarly, N Anand was designated minister for rural development and water resources. Likewise, Aadhav Arjuna will take care of public works (buildings, highways and minor ports) and sports development. Dr K G Arunraj will be the minister for health, medical education and family welfare. K A Sengottaiyan shall be the Finance Minister.

TVK govt wins trust vote in TN Assembly, AIADMK rebel group backs govt

The floor test proceedings to prove the strength of the C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government were underway in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday with the Congress and Left parties extending support to the government while the opposition DMK staged a walkout and abstained from voting. BJP with its lone MLA, stayed 'neutral.' Earlier, Chief Minister Vijay moved a resolution seeking the confidence vote. Floor leaders of the respective parties were allowed to speak first. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami opposed the Vijay-led government in the proceedings. The party's rebel leader S P Velumani declared support to TVK government, even as the Palaniswami faction opposed him. The main opposition party, DMK, staged a walkout and abstained from taking part in the voting. Congress, CPI , CPI (M), VCK, IUML and AMMK extended support to the government while the BJP said its stand was "neutral." Anbumani Ramadoss-led PMK, which has four MLAs, said it was "abstaining." The vote

TN govt revokes order appointing astrologer Radhan Pandit as OSD to CM

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday revoked its order appointing Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, an astrologer, as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD - Political) to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The decision to withdraw the Government Order (GO) comes less than 24 hours after the appointment was made on Tuesday, following a wave of sharp criticism from political opponents and allies of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) alike. The appointment had sparked a heated debate in the State Assembly earlier in the day. Opposition leaders, including DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth, strongly condemned the move on the floor of the House, questioning the induction of an astrologer into a key political administrative role. Facing mounting pressure and backlash from various quarters, the Vijay-led administration moved quickly to rescind the appointment. Vettrivel, widely known as an astrologer, had been designated to handle political affairs in the Chief Minister's Office before

Tamil govt appoints two IAS officers as secretaries to CM Vijay

The Tamil Nadu government has appointed two IAS officers to serve as official secretaries to the new Chief Minister Joseph C Vijay, who assumed office on Sunday. A state government order said that Dr P Senthil Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government in the Health and Family Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Additional Chief Secretary-Secretary I to the CM. Similarly, the order stated that G Lakshmi Priya, Secretary of the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Secretary II to the CM. Although Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam did not secure a majority on its own in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, its leader managed to secure support from the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and IUML, bringing together 120 MLAs and crossing the 118-seat majority mark to form the government. Vijay also introduced three public welfare schemes related to electricity, women's safety and drug eradication in the state.

Vijay to become next Tamil Nadu CM as VCK backs TVK, oath on Sunday

Ending days of political suspense in Tamil Nadu, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) on Saturday extended unconditional support to Vijay-led TVK to form the government in the state

TN Cong MLAs shift to Hyderabad as TVK seeks numbers to form govt

With uncertainty continuing over government formation in Tamil Nadu, five Congress MLAs from the state were camping in Hyderabad on Saturday in an apparent move by the party to prevent any poaching attempts. Congress MLA P Viswanathan from Melur, who was formerly the AICC in-charge of party affairs in Telangana, was leading the group of five MLAs during their stay in Hyderabad, party sources said. The Congress has already declared its support for TVK, and Viswanathan is likely to become a minister if a TVK government is formed, the sources added. Actor Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which won 108 seats-10 short of a majority-had earlier reached out to the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), and VCK parties that had been allied with the DMK, seeking their support to form the government after emerging as the single largest party in its maiden Assembly election in Tamil Nadu, held on April 23. The VCK, a long-time ally of the Left parties, is expected to formally announce its support for the

AMMK chief files complaint against Vijay's TVK over 'forged' support letter

The AMMK has lodged a complaint with the Guindy police against the TVK, alleging the use of a "forged" support letter to stake claim for government formation, police said on Saturday.According to Guindy police, a petition has been received from AMMK General Secretary T T V Dhinakaran. However, officials confirmed that no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in the matter as of Saturday morning. The development followed a high-drama midnight visit by Dhinakaran to the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Guindy Range. Speaking to reporters, the AMMK chief accused the Vijay-led TVK of submitting a forged photocopy of a letter to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, falsely claiming the support of AMMK's lone MLA-elect from Mannargudi, S Kamaraj. "The TVK, which claims to be a 'pure force,' has indulged in forgery and horse-trading," Dhinakaran stated. He alleged that the party attempted to bypass the anti-defection law by fabricating support. He also reveal

VCK's X handle suspended amid TVK attempting coalition govt in Tamil Nadu

This development comes after a purported post by the VCK in support of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form a coalition government in the Tamil Nadu Assembly

TN poll campaign ends today as high-stakes Assembly battle set for April 23

The high-intensity poll campaign for the April 23 election to the Tamil Nadu Assembly will end at the close of the day on Tuesday, bringing the mandatory silent period. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and former Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal besides Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, and Deputy CM son Udhayanidhi crisscrossed the state holding roadshows and campaigning for the AIADMK-led NDA and DMK-led SPA candidates in fray from 234 assembly constituencies. Though issues like development, central fund allocation, family rule, and corruption allegations dominated the nearly month-long electrifying campaign, apart from mutual personal attacks, the countdown to the election date saw the delimitation exercise assuming the centre stage. Two powerful alliances - the Secular Progressive Alliance

Permit 5 people named for prayers atop Tirupparankundram hill: HC to govt

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has suggested to the administration to permit five persons named by the court to offer symbolic prayers for 15 minutes near the stone pillar atop the Tirupparankundram hill. Hearing a contempt petition filed for non-compliance of an earlier direction on lighting Karthigai Deepam atop the Deepathoon, the court said the symbolic prayers (not lighting the lamp) could be allowed if the government wanted to show respect to the earlier orders of the court. Also, the Bench comprising Justice G R Swaminathan remarked that state Minerals and Mines Minister S Regupathy had "given a mischievous political spin" to the Tirupparankundram issue when he stated that the government would not permit the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the Deepathoon (stone pillar). Madurai collector K J Praveen Kumar had filed an additional affidavit stating that he promulgated the prohibition orders on December 1, 2025, in order to prevent law and order situation and not

Maruti Suzuki commissions 7 automated driving test tracks in Tamil Nadu

Maruti Suzuki India on Friday said it has partnered with the Tamil Nadu government to commission seven automated driving test tracks in the state. The initiative is part of the Memorandum of Agreement signed between Maruti Suzuki and the Transport Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, to automate a total of ten driving test tracks across the state. The company said with the latest addition, it has automated all ten automated driving test tracks (ADTTs) in the state. "Equipped with high-definition cameras and advanced analytics, these ADTTs enable a comprehensive, efficient, and transparent assessment process. It eliminates any human bias and ensures that only skilled drivers are awarded a license," Maruti Suzuki India Senior Executive Officer Corporate Affairs Rahul Bharti said in a statement. According to data shared by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, India witnessed 1.77 lakh road accident deaths in 2024, he noted. Promoting disciplined driving practices and ensuring

Expelled AIADMK leader, 3-time Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam joins DMK

OPS, who had functioned as AIADMK Treasurer and also held the erstwhile top position of party coordinator, joined the DMK along with his son, P Ravindhranath Kumar and supporters

FM tables Interim Budget, accuses Centre of 'unfairly' treating Tamil Nadu

Presenting the Interim Budget for 2026-27 in the Assembly, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu on Tuesday said the union government appears to leave no stone unturned to artificially precipitate a fiscal crisis in Tamil Nadu. Making Budgetary allocations and explaining the flagship schemes of the government and its impact, the Minister said in a federal polity, there were several instances in the past where states had been unfairly treated by the union government. He further said: "However, I firmly believe that the extent of challenges faced by this government is unprecedented. In every field, be it denial of sanction of major infrastructure projects for Tamil Nadu, withholding of release of funds for centrally sponsored schemes, curtailment of tax revenues without due consultation, or unfair imposition of conditions to mandate expenditure, the union government appears to leave no stone unturned to artificially precipitate a fiscal crisis in Tamil Nadu." He listed the ...

TN signs MoUs for ₹5900 cr investment in semiconductor, aerospace sectors

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday signed two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Japanese electronics major MinebeaMitsumi and Bengaluru-based Aequs Group, involving a combined investment of Rs 5,980 crore. The agreements, signed in the presence of Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat, here, are expected to generate employment for 8,400 people across the semiconductor and aerospace sectors, an official release said. NMB Minebea India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Japan's MinebeaMitsumi, has committed an investment of Rs 1,980 crore to establish a manufacturing and research and development centre in Tiruvallur district. The facility, to be located at the Mahindra Origins Industrial Park, will focus on a complete manufacturing ecosystem for high-value semiconductors, including Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) and Integrated Circuits (IC), as well as motors and sensors. This project is slated to create 1,400 jobs, with more than 40 per cent of the role

TN must join hands with Centre to boost startup ecosystem: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to work closely with the Centre to further strengthen the state's startup ecosystem, noting that despite significant progress, it still has immense untapped potential. Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Research, Industry, Start-up and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave here, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences highlighted India's exponential growth in the sector, which has increased from 350 startups in 2014 to over 2 lakh today. "Tamil Nadu has contributed 34,000 registered startups, but there is still significant untapped potential. We need to create an enabling ecosystem, particularly in tier-II and tier-III cities, to accelerate innovation-driven entrepreneurship," Singh said. He encouraged youth in growth hubs like Chennai and Coimbatore to leverage central initiatives to scale up their ventures, pointing out that startups have already ...

Tamil Nadu received investment commitments of ₹2.07 trn in 2025: Minister

Tamil Nadu has signed a total of 270 MoUs with several corporates committing investments to the tune of Rs 2.07 lakh crore in 2025, Minister for Industries TRB Rajaa said. The Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed were expected to generate over 4 lakh job opportunities in the State, he added. Detailing about the significant achievements made in 2025, Rajaa said, "It (2025) was another fantastic year of the Dravidian Model in focused execution. Over 270 MoUs worth a total of Rs 2.07 lakh crore of committed investments were signed in 2025 alone and these MoUs have opened up over 4 lakh new job opportunities." The growth was distributed across Tamil Nadu as investment conclaves were held beyond Chennai and the regional spread of investments improved in 2025, he said, in a social media post late on January 1. Many new TIDEL Neo parks (mini IT Parks) took Information Technology closer to the homes of aspiring youths, while the first-ever State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tami

Tamil Nadu in 2025: Double-digit growth and steady industrial progress

Known for its vibrant industrial ecosystem, Tamil Nadu continued to make steady strides in the sector in 2025, witnessing record IT exports, besides focusing on aerospace with new investment proposals and marching into 2026 with a double digit growth. Ford's re-entry in to the state brought cheers, even as fears have emerged in the hosiery hub Tirupur following the revised US tariffs aimed at Indian imports into that country. Touching an all time high, the state clocked a 11.19 per cent growth rate, which Chief Minister M K Stalin attributed to the sustained economic policies of the DMK government that assumed office in 2021. According to industry department officials, TN had previously recorded its highest growth rate of 9.69 per cent during the 2010-11 financial year when the late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi was the CM. "We are not saying this. As per the Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation's revised estimates, during 2024-25, Tamil Nadu has achieved 11.19 p

Tamil Nadu marks 21st anniversary of 2004 tsunami with silent tributes

Hundreds of people gathered at the beaches and offered milk and flowers to the sea, and those from the affected villages in Tamil Nadu took out silent processions on Friday in remembrance of thousands of lives lost during the devastating Tsunami in 2004. Commemorations were held in Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, Cuddalore, and Chennai coastal areas which were among the worst affected when a massive tidal wave triggered by an undersea earthquake in Indian Ocean off Sumatra, Indonesia, lashed the coastal Tamil Nadu, 21 years ago. The people from 25 affected fishing villages in Nagapattinam district observed the 21st anniversary by taking out silent processions. Floral tributes were paid at the memorial sites in Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Chennai. Over 8,000 lives were said to have been lost due to the impact of the tsunami in the state. In Tuticorin, fishermen gathered on the coast and paid their respects and later held a commemoration. In Chennai, the BJP members joined t

TN govt agrees to regularise 723 protesting nurses, consider their demands

Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced that it will consider the demands of the striking nurses and would take steps to immediately regularise 723 of them on seniority basis by Pongal (mid-January) 2026. Also, a key demand to provide them maternity leave with pay will also be considered positively, state Health Minister Ma Subramanian said as the strike by the government nurses appointed on consolidated pay entered the fifth day today. "Chief Minister M K Stalin has directed to consider the plea for maternity leave with pay and also other demands included in their ten-point charter," Subramanian told reporters here after holding parleys with representatives of the nurses' associations. He assured that the government would take immediate steps to resolve their problems. The nurses have been on strike since December 18 throughout the state and over 500 of them were arrested in Chennai on the third day of their agitation. Braving the nippy weather, some of them had brought their ki