Chennai: A fresh political confrontation erupted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday after Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin took a sharp dig at Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over his speech in the House.
Udhayanidhi accused Vijay of delivering what he described as “cringe” dialogue without adequate preparation and compared the Chief Minister’s approach to a film shoot.
Udhayanidhi’s ‘Roll Camera, Action’ Jibe
Reacting to Vijay’s Assembly speech in a post on X, Udhayanidhi questioned why the Chief Minister had taken three days to bring printed copies of allegations attributed to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and read them in the House.
Udhayanidhi described Vijay’s response as lacking answers and accused him of shifting blame and diverting attention from questions raised by the Opposition.
He also used the phrase “Roll Camera, Action” to mock what he characterised as a theatrical style of addressing the Assembly.
Udhayanidhi concluded his post by telling the Chief Minister to prepare better for future Assembly sessions and “try to do better.”
Vijay Targets DMK Over ED Allegations
The exchange followed a heated Assembly session in which Vijay made corruption allegations against the ruling Opposition, the DMK.
According to reports, Vijay referred to ED allegations concerning the alleged collection of money in the name of party funds. He named former Chief Minister MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin and Minister Senthil Balaji while raising the allegations in the House.
Vijay also referred to the Sarkaria Commission report and levelled allegations concerning former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
The allegations have added another layer to the increasingly sharp political rivalry between Vijay’s party and the DMK.
DMK MLAs Stage Protest
The Assembly proceedings also witnessed a confrontation between the Opposition and the Speaker.
DMK MLAs sought an opportunity to respond to Vijay’s allegations. After the Speaker reportedly declined to allow them to respond immediately, Opposition members staged a dharna inside the House before deciding to walk out.
The episode highlighted the growing political tensions inside the Tamil Nadu Assembly as both sides traded accusations.
Vijay’s Remarks On Women Also Draw Attention
During the same Assembly session, Vijay said he would not tolerate abusive remarks against women.
He argued that political criticism could be strong but should not cross the line into defamatory or abusive comments targeting women. His remarks came amid an ongoing controversy surrounding comments attributed to Udhayanidhi and references to actor Trisha Krishnan.
The Chief Minister urged legislators to avoid personal attacks and said the public was watching the conduct of political leaders.
Political Battle Intensifies
The latest clash reflects the increasingly confrontational political atmosphere in Tamil Nadu, with Vijay and Udhayanidhi emerging as prominent figures on opposite sides of the Assembly floor.
While Vijay used the Assembly to raise allegations against the DMK, Udhayanidhi responded by questioning the substance and preparation behind the Chief Minister’s speech.
The verbal battle is expected to continue as the Assembly session progresses, with both camps seeking to use the proceedings to strengthen their political positions ahead of the state’s next electoral contest.
