Esakki Subaya. File

| Photo Credit: A. Shaikmohideen

1. Fourth AIADMK MLA Esakki Subaya resigns, joins TVKIn yet another blow to the AIADMK, former Minister and Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya resigned from his post and joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Mr. Subaya was among the 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs, headed by former Minister S.P. Velumani, who voted in favour of the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led government during the vote of confidence.His resignation comes after three other AIADMK MLAs of Mr. Velumani’s faction resigned as legislators and later joined the TVK. Following the resignations, the four Assembly constituencies have been declared vacant.Meanwhile, AIADMK legislators belonging to the faction led by party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami met Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at the Secretariat and submitted a petition. Speaking to reporters, Agri S.S. Krishnamurthy said the Speaker should not have accepted their resignations as disqualification proceedings under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution were pending against them.2. Mekedatu project: Supreme Court rejects review plea by Tamil NaduThe Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by Tamil Nadu to review a November 2025 decision that termed the State’s challenge to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water project as “premature”.The review petition was dismissed by a Bench of the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Vinod K. Chandran and Vipul M. Pancholi on April 15. The order was only published recently.3. Crop loan waiver: AIADMK, BJP, AMMK criticise State governmentA day after Tamil Nadu government under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced crop loan waiver, AIADMK, BJP and AMMK criticised Tamil Nadu government for the move.AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said the TVK, in its election manifesto, assured to completely waive off loans of farmers who held up to 5 acre of land. But now, instead of using land as the criterion (for crop loan waiver), the government has considered money as the yardstick, engaging in the biggest deception.4. Fisherman drowns, three others rescued after fibre boat capsizesA 44-year-old fisherman drowned in the sea and three others from Nagapattinam district were rescued after their fibre boat capsized a few nautical miles off the Kodiyakarai coast after they set out for fishing yesterday.5. TVK functionary expelled from party for demanding ‘₹1 lakh per month’ bribeTamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) expelled T.R. Vijayakumar, the party’s secretary of Kaniyambadi Panchayat Union East in Vellore, from the party’s primary membership for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹1 lakh per month from each brick kiln operatorsto run the units without political interference.The action comes a day after hundreds of residents, mostly brick kiln workers and their families at Puthur village in Vellore district, blocked the Cuddalore-Chittoor Highway in protest against Mr. Vijayakumar.6. School reopening pushed to June 4Due to the extreme heat that the State is facing, the school education department has announced that schools in Tamil Nadu would reopen on June 4 for all classes. The classes were initially slated to re-open on June 1.7. Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Jothimani spar on social mediaA war of words broke out between Congress MPs B. Manickam Tagore and Jothimani on social media over DMK president M.K. Stalin’s criticism that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was indulging in horse-trading after AIADMK MLAs resigned from their posts and joined the ruling party.8. Annamalai urges Centre to roll back CBSE notification on compulsory third languageSenior BJP functionary K. Annamalai urged the Union Ministry of Education to withdraw a notification issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to all affiliated schools, making a third language compulsory for Class IX students from this academic year, instead of from the 2029-30 academic year as previously announced. Published - May 26, 2026 07:25 pm IST