Udhayanidhi Stalin Brands CM Vijay a ‘Dummy CM’ After Cringe‑Filled Assembly Speech

In a lively, almost theatrical exchange on the floor of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin didn’t hold back. He took to X – formerly Twitter – to brand the chief minister, C Joseph Vijay, a “dummy CM”, claiming the premier’s reply to the opposition was nothing more than a cringe‑worthy, film‑script monologue.

Stalin’s post asked, in plain language, why it took Vijay three days to pull out printed copies of Enforcement Directorate (ED) allegations and read them aloud. “An answer without answers, blame‑shifting, diversion tactics – in short, dummy CM spoke cringe‑worthy dialogue in ‘Roll Camera, Action’ mode, with absolutely no preparation,” he wrote, peppering the tweet with a hint of sarcasm that felt almost personal.

The backdrop to this spat was a heated session on Monday when Vijay leveled corruption charges against the DMK. He said the ED had flagged the party’s finances, naming former chief minister M K Stalin, himself – Udhayanidhi Stalin – and minister Senthil Balaji as allegedly collecting money under the guise of party funds. Vijay even invoked the old Sarkaria Commission report, alleging that former chief minister M. Karunanidhi had abused his office.

Stalin, never one to mince words, replied that the chief minister was clearly avoiding the opposition’s rebuttal. “Instead of hiding again out of fear of hearing the Opposition’s response, prepare well next time. Try to do better!” he urged, a direct challenge that left the chamber buzzing.

Amid the political fireworks, a brief moment of unexpected civility broke through. When DM‑K MLA Durai Chandrasekhar chose to stay seated while his colleagues staged a walk‑out, Vijay noticed and, in a gesture that earned quiet applause, rose, offered his hand, and helped the MLA stand. The MLA thanked the chief minister with folded hands before joining the exodus, and the chamber’s desks thumped in appreciation.

Whether this small act of decorum will ease the tension remains to be seen. For now, the narrative is dominated by sharp barbs, accusations of unpreparedness, and a clear message from the opposition: Vijay’s “filmy” approach is not fooling anyone.