Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay returned to Karur for the first time since the tragic 2025 stampede that claimed 41 lives ahead of his TVK rally. During the emotional visit, Vijay described the tragedy as the deepest scar of his life, met the victims' families, handed over compassionate job appointment orders, and announced a memorial in honour of those who lost their lives. Dressed in black as a mark of mourning, the Chief Minister also targeted the police over the handling of the event and criticised the DMK.  

Tamil Nadu's political landscape has witnessed another significant development as senior AIADMK leader SS Vaigaichelvan officially joined Thalapathy Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), delivering a fresh political setback to the AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. In a strongly worded statement after joining TVK, Vaigaichelvan described AIADMK as the "right party under the wrong leader," launching one of the sharpest public critiques yet of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). While questioning the current leadership, he also praised the party's ideological foundations, making it clear that his criticism was directed at the leadership rather than the party's legacy. The move is being viewed as another important milestone in Vijay's efforts to establish TVK as the principal opposition to the ruling DMK. Rather than focusing solely on high-profile faces, TVK has increasingly targeted experienced AIADMK leaders and grassroots organisers as it builds its organisational strength across Tamil Nadu. WATCH