DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth on Sunday attempted to slam the brakes on speculation about her party inching closer to actor-politician Vijay’s TVK. Addressing district secretaries, she insisted that if she had wanted to meet Vijay, nobody could have stopped her. “Couldn’t I have gone and met Vijay if I wished? Wouldn’t my party cadre have accompanied me? People are running behind ministers. If I had merely said a word, Vijay himself would have come home and offered the deputy chief minister post,” she said, drawing cheers from party workers. She later clarified that the DMDK was not desperate for such optics, though her remarks ensured the rumour mill got another productive day.
Kumaresan S
What’s in a name?
At a press meet in Tiruchy on Saturday ahead of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s thanksgiving visit to Tiruchy East, reporters attempted to crack the obvious mystery: who would contest the vacant Assembly seat on his behalf? But before politics could take centre stage, protocol stole the show. A reporter casually referred to the chief minister as “Vijay”, prompting Deputy Speaker Ravi Shankar to swiftly intervene: “Please say CM.” For a few moments, the hunt for a Tiruchy East candidate was overshadowed by an unexpected debate over the correct prefix for the chief minister. Sensing headlines assembling themselves, TNUHDB chairman Ku Pa Krishnan stepped in with a timely appeal: “Let’s avoid controversies,” restoring order before nominations could begin.
Vivanesh Parthiban
Out of civic sight
With GCC mayor R Priya largely missing from the public eye since the Assembly election results and the subsequent political reshuffle, activists have taken to social media with a tongue-in-cheek ‘missing person’ poster. The poster stated that she was “missing since May 4, 2026” and described her as bold and self-assured, typically seen during floods. Additionally, it joked, “If found, Chennai may improve.” The criticism extends beyond appearances. Priya has been absent from most flood mitigation inspections led by the new GCC commissioner. The corporation council, meanwhile, has not met since March. Activists have urged her to secure additional funds, review pending projects and work closely with commissioner GS Sameeran.
ENS