Tamil Nadu

As Tamil Nadu gears up for its assembly elections, a high-stakes triangular contest is taking shape. The ruling DMK, led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, faces off against the AIADMK-led NDA, while actor Vijay’s newly launched party, TVK, is emerging as a formidable third force. Vijay’s political entry is testing the dominance of traditional “freebies politics” that has long shaped the state’s electoral outcomes. When Vijay campaigns under the yellow flag and “bell” election symbol of TVK, massive crowds of young voters and women gather to cheer him. The energy evokes memories of the star power of M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa. Yet, in his first electoral outing, Vijay faces the dual challenge of DMK’s generous welfare schemes and AIADMK’s cash-and-freebie promises. DMK’s...

Chennai, February 14, 2026: Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has unveiled a bold scheme aimed at women voters, reminiscent of successful welfare initiatives in other states like Bihar and Jharkhand. Under the new announcement, 1.31 crore women in the state will receive ₹5,000 each in their bank accounts, combining monthly assistance under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme with special summer support. CM Stalin’s Appeal to Women The Chief Minister stated that if the DMK returns to power, the monthly assistance will be increased from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000. An additional ₹2,000 will be provided to cover summer expenses, bringing the total to ₹5,000. Stalin, in a video message on the social media platform X, urged women to utilize the funds for c...

Leena Rose Martin, wife of the renowned “Lottery King” Santiago Martin, has resigned from the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) party, sparking speculation about her next political move ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Reports suggest that she may contest a seat in Rameswaram district on an AIADMK ticket, marking a significant strategic shift for the Martin family in the lead-up to the polls. A Big Move in Tamil Nadu Politics With the state elections just three months away, politicians are exploring every opportunity to maximize their winning prospects, including switching parties. Business figures entering politics are also recalibrating strategies. Leena Rose Martin, who had been associated with the NDA-aligned IJK party for 14 years, has now stepped down, though she has n...

Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu: In a shocking incident, a 17-year-old student died after being bitten by a venomous krait snake that had hidden inside his school bag. The boy, a Class 11 student, was unaware that he had carried the deadly snake to school. Snake Bite in Classroom The student, identified as M. Shivaprakasham from Kethanur, was attending his school at Haridwar Mangal Government Higher Secondary School on 4 February. During class, when the teacher asked the students to take out their books, Shivaprakasham reached into his bag — only to be bitten by the krait hiding inside. His screams created chaos in the classroom as the snake slithered around, and other students and teachers panicked. Despite efforts to control the situation, the snake escaped before it could be captured. ...

Chennai: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching in the coming months, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again joined hands with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in a renewed attempt to challenge the ruling DMK-Congress alliance led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. The BJP is now working to build a broader NDA front in the southern state by bringing several smaller regional parties under its umbrella. The party hopes that a strong coalition, supported by AIADMK’s traditional vote base, will help it make significant gains and possibly dethrone the DMK from power. However, the BJP-AIADMK partnership is far from a smooth or stable one. Over the last three decades, their alliance has been marked by repeated breakups, mistrust, political calculations,...

Chennai: The language debate in Tamil Nadu has intensified once again after Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam made controversial remarks about North Indian migrants in the state. Speaking on Wednesday, the minister claimed that people from North India have “only learned Hindi” and come to Tamil Nadu primarily for low-paying jobs such as table cleaning and selling street food like pani puri. Remarks on North Indian Migrants Panneerselvam said that North Indians have limited job opportunities in South India and typically perform menial work, while Tamilians benefit from the state’s two-language policy, enabling them to pursue global career opportunities in countries like the US and the UK. He emphasized that Tamil Nadu’s focus on English, alongside Tamil, has allowed the state’...

Chennai:In a significant move providing long-awaited relief to the Sikh community, the Tamil Nadu government has officially notified the Anand Marriage Registration Rules, 2026, paving the way for smooth and uniform registration of Sikh marriages across the state. The rules were notified by the MK Stalin–led DMK government ahead of the Assembly elections, following clear directions issued by the Supreme Court of India last year, which asked all states to frame specific regulations for the registration of Sikh marriages solemnised under the Anand Marriage Act. Uniform System for Sikh Marriages With the notification of the rules, Sikh couples who solemnise their marriage through Anand Karaj—the traditional Sikh wedding ceremony—will no longer face administrative hurdles or confusion...

Chennai, Tamil Nadu: A shocking incident has emerged from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, where a 20-year-old college student died under suspicious circumstances. Her Dalit fiancé has alleged that her family opposed their inter-caste marriage. Police are currently investigating the case. The deceased, identified as Shivamathi, belonged to a Savarna family and was a second-year college student. According to her fiancé, they had been in a relationship and had planned to marry secretly on February 6. He claimed that Shivamathi’s parents were strongly opposed to the marriage due to caste differences, and her maternal uncle had allegedly threatened him, warning that he would kill her if the wedding took place. This has raised suspicions of honor killing or incitement to suicide. Police Register ...