CM Vijay tells ‘short story’ in Assembly; Udhayanidhi says the house has been turned into a cinema

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay makes a film gesture at the end of his address to a rally on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Photo credit: ANI

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday trumpeted the “short story”, booty pose and some of Mr Vijay’s remarks during a debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Governor’s speech in the Assembly.

In his reply to the House, Mr. Vijay narrated a “short story”, a style he often used in his audio introductions as an actor and in public meetings as president of TVK.

“An elderly man was walking in the village with his hand over his eyes because the sun was very bright. He was looking for someone. That’s when the little boy who was with him asked him who he was looking for. The elderly man said he was looking for the boy’s father because he was told he (the father) would be there, but he couldn’t find him anywhere,” Mr Vijay said.

The Chief Minister said that he also knows how to speak sarcastically and mockingly. “Nobody here in the House needs to be tense. It was exactly what the older man said in the story,” he said.

Although the chief minister did not name anyone from opposition parties in his story and DMK members were not present in the House when he made the remarks, his comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the defeat of former chief minister and DMK president MK Stalin in the Kolathur Assembly constituency.

At the end of his speech, Mr. Vijay made a hand gesture resembling a magnifying glass pose. He asked the speaker if he could perform an “action” before making the gesture.

Later, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Mr. Udhayanidhi said DMK legislators listened quietly as the Chief Minister spoke in “film style”.

However, the Chief Minister made certain remarks which were contrary to reality, Mr. Udhayanidhi added.

“He came with a prepared script. He spoke as if he was not answering questions until he finished his prepared script and no one should say ‘cut’ during shooting,” the opposition leader said.

The Chief Minister has to answer the questions that people ask. Blaming the DMK for everything has become routine, he claimed.

He said that when the portrait of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was unveiled at the rally, the President attended the function.

“There is a protocol for the President, while the Governor has no such protocol,” Mr. Udhayanidhi said when responding to a question on Mr. Vijay’s remark that during the DMK regime, the National Anthem was sung twice on the occasion.

Mr. Udhayanidhi alleged that the Chief Minister trivialized the farmers’ agitation by claiming that it was instigated by the DMK. He also questioned the reasons why the chief minister met a section of “rebel” legislators and AIADMK leaders ahead of the trust vote. “First the sofa went there and then Mr Vijay himself went there. Now (AIADMK) MLAs are resigning one by one and joining TVK,” he said.

Responding to a question about the “short story”, Mr. Udhayanidhi said, Mr. Vijay continued to follow the style and grammar of the audio and trailer functions inside the assembly as well. “The gathering has turned into a cinema. Today, members inside the House whistled. This has never happened before. At this rate, they can even dance to the songs. Everything is scripted and planned to trend on social media and be shared like reels.”

Published – 23 Jun 2026 23:49 IST