Vijay accuses DMK regime of diverting public funds, sparks Assembly walkout

Published 23 June 2026 · politics

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the opposition DMK in the Assembly, calling the alleged corruption during

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the opposition DMK in the Assembly, calling the alleged corruption during its previous regime "party funds" and accusing it of siphoning money from government departments. His remarks sparked noisy protests from DMK members during his reply to the Governor's address. The confrontation escalated as Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin strongly objected to the allegations and sought proof on the floor of the House. Read Full Story The Speaker did not permit interventions during the chief minister's speech, and the protests ended in a DMK walkout. Vijay also used his speech to defend his government's mandate and reject the opposition's claim that his administration depended on the DMK's mercy. Udhayanidhi rose to protest after Vijay alleged that the previous DMK regime had "siphoned" funds from various government departments towards "party funds".

He urged Speaker JCD Prabhakar to direct the chief minister to submit proof instead of making what he called baseless allegations against the DMK. The Speaker ruled out interventions during Vijay's speech and said the chief minister should be allowed to complete his reply, but DMK members continued their protest. Resuming his speech, Vijay said that, unlike the previous DMK government, the TVK would never indulge in corrupt practices and would not allow anyone to "loot" the government coffers. Amid repeated interruptions, he said his government would recover public funds allegedly misappropriated under the guise of "party fund collections" and would ensure that those responsible for corruption, "even if it be the DMK regime", were brought to book. His remarks drew immediate objections from the opposition benches, with Udhayanidhi demanding that he be allowed to respond in the House.

Vijay also dismissed the DMK's claim that the ruling TVK was surviving because of its mercy. He said the Left parties had independently decided to support the TVK, while the Congress, VCK and IUML, which extended support, had been accommodated in the new Cabinet. "We are not dependent on the DMK's mercy. We are running the government due to the mercy of the people who elected us," Vijay said. Soon after, DMK members led by Udhayanidhi walked out of the House before the chief minister could complete his speech. Continuing after the walkout, Vijay defended the stability of his government and rejected suggestions that it was running solely on external political support. He then turned to social justice and said his government had appointed eight members from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as ministers, describing it as the fulfilment of BR Ambedkar's vision of equitable representation.