LIVE: TN CM Vijay meets AIADMK rebels; Shanmugam says ‘ready to back TVK’
Led by SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam, around 30 AIADMK MLAs backed Vijay’s government while questioning Palaniswami’s leadership after the party’s poll debacle
BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath as Chief Minister of Assam on Tuesday (May 12), along with four ministers — two from the BJP and one each from its allies AGP and BPF.
This marks the formation of the third NDA government in Assam, with Sarma beginning his second consecutive term as Chief Minister, making him the only non-Congress leader in the state to achieve this feat.
In contrast, the Kerala stalemate over the Congress’s CM candidate continues. In a bid to break the impasse, the party’s Kerala in-charge Deepa Dasmunsi has summoned several former state unit chiefs for further discussions with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi today.
In West Bengal, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had an “eventful” first day in office on Monday, setting into motion many of the election promises, even as the TMC moved Supreme Court alleging that deletions due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls affected the results in certain assembly constituencies in West Bengal. The court asked it to file a petition.
And in Tamil Nadu, Vijay begins with a highly symbolic gesture of meeting senior leaders of all political parties, showing that he would encourage healthy politics and not bitter rivalry in the state.
Scroll below for Live updates.
Live Updates
- 13 May 2026 9:48 AM IST
VCK extends support to TN government
VCK extended support to the TVK government and CM Vijay. - 13 May 2026 9:44 AM IST
Congress, CPM confirms support to TVK government
Congress, Left announce support for CM Vijay and TVK government. “Chief Minister Vijay has sought the support of five secular parties”: Congress Legislative Committee Leader Rajesh Kumar explains backing for the TVK government.
- 12 May 2026 7:52 PM IST
TVK warns of 'stringent action' against cadres if they cause public nuisance
The ruling TVK on Tuesday explicitly banned the placement of party banners and placards in public spaces that cause inconvenience to the people or obstruct traffic.
It issued the strict directive to its cadres, warning of "stringent action" against anyone found causing public nuisance.
The directive comes as part of the move to reinforce the party's stated goal of prioritising public welfare.
In a statement issued on X by the party's General Secretary and Minister N Anand, the TVK leadership warned of "stringent action" against any member found violating these instructions, noting that the order has the explicit approval of the party president.
"TVK was founded with the sole objective of ensuring the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu. Our leader, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has entrusted us with a massive responsibility, and we must march toward that goal," the statement read.
Party workers have been told not to place banners, hoardings, or placards on roads or in crowded public areas.
The leadership further emphasised that no celebratory activities should cause any hindrance to the general public or disrupt the flow of traffic.
- 12 May 2026 5:10 PM IST
AIADMK dissidents meet Vijay, oppose Palaniswami’s leadership
Hours after a faction of the AIADMK led by SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam extended support to Tamil Nadu’s ruling coalition headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Tamil Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the chief minister met both leaders in Chennai on Tuesday (May 12).
About 30 MLAs, led by senior leaders Velumani and Shanmugam, are believed to be in the rebel camp that has questioned AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s leadership following the party's debacle in the April 23 assembly polls, where it won only 47 out of the 164 seats it contested.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, Shanmugam said they would meet Vijay to provide a letter supporting his government. He also alleged that Palaniswami wanted to form a government with the DMK's support.
Pointing out that the AIADMK was floated to oppose and "uproot" the DMK, Shanmugam said all the party members opposed Palaniswami's proposal to form a government with the support of the MK Stalin-led party. He added that any such proposal contradicted the AIADMK's fundamental principles.
The party needs a "new life now," and the "Amma (Jayalalithaa) rule" should return, and therefore, he added, they should support TVK.
- 12 May 2026 4:57 PM IST
SC to hear TVK MLA's plea against Madras HC order barring him from taking part in floor test
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea of a TVK lawmaker challenging the Madras High Court's order restraining him from participating in floor test in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader C Joseph Vijay on May 10 took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The plea of TVK MLA R Seenivasa Sethupathi, assailing the high court order, was mentioned for urgent listing and hearing on Monday before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi. The bench agreed to list the case for hearing on Wednesday.
Sethupathi had won the No.185 Tiruppattur assembly constituency in Sivagangai district by a margin of a single vote against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and former minister K R Periakaruppan.
Periakaruppan subsequently approached the Madras High Court alleging irregularities in the counting process, including the alleged rejection of a postal ballot that was mistakenly sent to another constituency.
In an interim order, the high court restrained Sethupathi from voting or otherwise participating in any floor test, confidence motion, no-confidence motion, trust vote or any proceeding where the numerical strength of the House is tested, pending further orders.
The order has significant implications for the ruling TVK-led alliance in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. The alliance currently commands the support of 120 MLAs.
- 12 May 2026 1:38 PM IST
Vijay to meet Congress leaders ahead of floor test
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will visit TNCC headquarters, ahead of the crucial floor test the government is slated to face on May 13.
Congress spokesperson A Gopanna, in a statement, said Vijay will be meeting TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai, AICC in-charge for TN, Girish Chodankar, AICC secretaries Suraj Hegde, Nivedith Alva and Congress party Legislative leader S Rajeshkumar at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the party's headquarters.
Former TNCC presidents, central ministers, party MLAs and other senior leaders will also be present, he said.
Secretariat sources also said Vijay is also likely to meet VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan and Indian Union Muslim League (IMUL) leaders.
- 12 May 2026 1:36 PM IST
Udhayanidhi says 'Sanatana Dharma' divides, must be 'abolished'
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin called for the "abolition" of Sanatana Dharma, claiming it divides people, repeating the controversial remarks he made in September 2023.
In his maiden speech as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the DMK leader also said the opposition "will not permit" any attempt to sideline ‘Tamil Thai Vazhuthu’, the Tamil invocation song.
"Sanatana Dharma, which divides the people, must certainly be abolished," he said in his speech in the House. His similar remarks in 2023 had created a major row, with the leader facing flak and court cases from pro-Hindu outfits over his remarks.
Referring to the recent swearing-in ceremony of the new government, Udhayanidhi said that the state anthem was pushed to the third position in the order of events rather than its traditional priority.
“Such an incident, which happened during your government's swearing-in ceremony, was a mistake and you should not permit it to happen again in this Assembly. We will not permit it," said the LoP.
- 12 May 2026 1:33 PM IST
Shanmugam trying to split AIADMK to support Vijay: DMK leader Bharathi
DMK leader R S Bharathi dismissed AIADMK leader C Ve Shanmugam’s allegations about a possible DMK-AIADMK post-poll understanding, asserting that the DMK has already made its stand clear on functioning as the Opposition.
Bharathi alleged that Shanmugam was attempting to “split” the AIADMK to extend support to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and was now trying to shift blame by making such claims. He further said DMK president M K Stalin had already clarified that the party would sit in the Opposition.
- 12 May 2026 12:40 PM IST
Vijay to meet AIADMK MLAs
Chief Minister Vijay will meet the AIADMK MLAs at C Ve Shanmugam's office around 2 pm.Confirming his faction's support to the ruling TVK, Shanmugam said, "AIADMK has exited from the NDA alliance. Now, AIADMK is not part of any alliance. We will decide later which alliance to join."
- 12 May 2026 12:36 PM IST
Kerala CM decision: KPCC leaders meet Rahul Gandhi in Delhi
Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders meet Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday (May 12), to decide on the next chief minister of Kerala.
The meeting is underway with former KPCC presidents Mullapally Ramachandran, MM Hassan, K Sudhakaran, VM Sudheeran, K Muraleedharan, AP Anil Kumar, PC Vishunath, and Shafi Parambil.
