The story so far: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, in his reply to the debate on the demand for grants to his portfolio of Home in the Assembly on Monday (September 7, 2026), brought back to focus the Sarkaria Commission Inquiry, which went into allegations of corruption against former Chief Minister and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s longest-serving president M. Karunanidhi and his Cabinet colleagues of the 1970s. Two reports of the Commission were placed in Parliament during 1977-78.

What was the Sarkaria Commission Inquiry?

Known after its chairperson, Justice (retd.) R.S. Sarkaria, the Commission was constituted by the Union government in February 1976 when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, and the country was in the midst of the Emergency (June 1975-March 1977).

Justice Sarkaria, a judge of the Supreme Court at the time of appointment, was mandated to inquire into 28 allegations of corruption and misuse of power levelled against Karunanidhi and some of his Cabinet colleagues, who were in power in the State during 1969-1976. The constitution of the panel was announced in Parliament on February 3, 1976, three days after the DMK’s Council of Ministers was dismissed by the Union government from office when the DMK regime’s ties with the Central government were at a low ebb. 

The removal was based on the report of the then Governor K.K. Shah, who contended that the DMK government had, “by a series of acts of maladministration, corruption, and misuse of power for achieving partisan ends, set at nought all canons of justice and equity.” For about three years prior to its removal, the DMK regime was mired in controversies over the charges of corruption levelled by the Opposition. 

Who targetted the DMK for corruption in the 1970s?

The Congress (Organisation), shepherded by former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, had been a bitter critic of the DMK government from the beginning. But, ever since the ruling party’s treasurer M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) exited the DMK over the issue of probity in public life in October 1972, he began increasingly occupying the centrestage and became Karunanidhi’s principal political adversary.

A few weeks after forming the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), MGR submitted a memorandum to Mr. Shah on November 4, 1972, listing certain charges of corruption. This was followed with another memorandum presented by the Communist Party of India’s leader M. Kalyanasundaram, who represented Tiruchi in the Lok Sabha twice, on December 20.

Subsequently, one more petition was given by the AIADMK’s Members of Parliament, “Nanjil” K. Manoharan and G. Viswanathan, who later founded the Vellore Institute of Technology, one of the leading institutions in engineering education. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was another critic of the DMK government then. 

What were the main charges levelled against Karunanidhi and co?

The allegations pertained to the misuse of an imported tractor, presented to Karunanidhi during his visit to the U.K. in 1971, in his farm in Tiruvarur; undue favours shown by Education Minister V.R. Nedunchezhiyan to a publication firm in which Agriculture Minister Anbil Dharmalingam had interest; acceptance of bribes by Karunanidhi and Anbil Dharmalingam in the award of contracts for the aerial spraying of pesticides; undue favours shown by Industries Minister S. Madhavan in the granting of loan given to the father in law of the DMK’s legislator S. Kandappan; similar charge against Karunanidhi, Madhavan and Revenue Minister P.U. Shanmugam in respect of amendment to the Madras City Tenants Protection Act, 1922 and similar charge against Karunanidhi for giving a brewery licence to his close friend.

The other charges covered the Veeranam project, sugar deals, DMK party and trusts; four lift irrigation schemes and the use of state machinery in favour of DMK trade unions.

Which cases did the Commission find the charges established?

In the case of the contracts for the aerial spraying of pesticides, the panel held that Karunanidhi and Anbil Dharmalingam had received “illegal gratification” of ₹5.75 lakhs from aircraft operators. Other allegations, which were held by the commission as either “wholly or partly substantiated,” related to the showing of undue favours to the publication firm, and the granting of the loan and brewery licence. Others in the allegations were Mr. Nedunchezhiyan, Mr. Madhavan and Mr. Shanmugam. 

About the case concerning the Samayanallur power station, the Commission held the charges of abuse of official position and graft against the then Electricity Minister, O.P. Raman established but found no evidence to show that in receiving the illegal gratification, Mr. Raman acted in concert with Mr. Karunanidhi.

In respect of the Veeranam water supply project case and four others, the panel concluded that the allegations against the Chief Minister and his colleagues were substantiated.

As for the high profile Veeranam case, the Commission stated that Karunanidhi, “abusing his official position as Chief Minister, actuated with the motive to unduly favour” Sathyanarayana Bros, with the award of the contract for the Veeranam project, directed the Chief Engineer Hussain “to tailor his recommendations on the tenders in such a manner as would enable the Government to accept the tender of Sathyanarayana Bros,” The Hindu reported on May 13, 1978, quoting from the panel’s report. 

Describing the decision to entrust the project to the contractor as “undoubtedly a major administrative blunder,”  the panel had even assessed that nearly ₹6 crores was “squandered” over this project and “the responsibility for this must rest squarely on Mr. Karunanidhi and Mr. Sadiq Pasha (then Public Works Minister),” the daily added, ascribing the content to the Commission’s report.  

What happened after the reports were submitted?

The political instability in the country forced realignment of forces. By late 1979, the DMK and the Congress, headed by Indira Gandhi, had become allies. When Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister in January 1980, it was a matter of formality that the cases filed against Mr. Karunanidhi and his colleagues were dropped.  

When did the Sarkaria Commission last figure in the Assembly?

During the debate in the Assembly on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the Hous in May 2001, the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa raised the panel’s findings in the light of the Veeranam project, which her government had decided to revive. She told the House that in her meeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, she would indeed raise the subject, The Hindu reported on May 29, 2001.

However, she did not pursue the matter, even though she had argued that the case was not time-barred and that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could revive it if the Centre directed it to do so.

Published – September 08, 2026 12:32 pm IST

Four former AIADMK Ministers — M.C. Sampath, N.R. Sivapathi, Kadambur C. Raju, and Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan — joined the TVK at its headquarters in Panaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai in the presence of party general secretary and Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources N. Anand and a few other Ministers on June 6, 2026. Photo: Special Arrangement

It has been over two years since top Tamil actor Vijay launched his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Yet, with no electoral debut so far, there is little clarity on the party’s potential vote share in the upcoming Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections.

Within the party, optimism runs high, with some functionaries informally projecting a vote share of around 25%. Outside, however, estimates vary widely. A section of observers believes TVK could mirror the early performance of late Vijayakant’s DMDK, securing about 8–10% in its first outing. Others suggest the party could push closer to 15%.

Predicting electoral outcomes in Tamil Nadu has never been straightforward, particularly in Assembly elections. The entry of TVK and of Mr. Vijay, a political greenhorn with Chief Ministerial ambitions, has only complicated the arithmetic further.

The party skipped the last Lok Sabha polls and the February 2025 Erode (East) Assembly bypoll. Consequently, its actual support base remains untested. Its decision to go it alone has set the stage for a four-cornered contest in Tamil Nadu.

Was this strategic restraint—avoiding early electoral exposure—a deliberate move by Mr. Vijay to keep his political capital intact ahead of a high-stakes debut?

“Mr. Vijay knows what he is doing. Like in his movies, he is going by the script in politics as well,” said Professor G. Palanithurai, former dean of Students’ Welfare at Gandhigram Rural Institute.

There is a theory that Dravidian rhetoric has killed intellectualism in the State. Professor Palanithurai, who specialises in grass-roots democracy, said he has been visiting campuses, and the lack of political discourse in higher educational institutions has led to the youth gravitating towards the actor over time.

Besides, corruption has been regularised. The ruling DMK and Opposition AIADMK accuse each other of corruption but never take action against each other when in power. “Mr. Vijay has sensed it. That is why he is focusing on anti-corruption to attract voters. Vijayakanth also fought on the anti-corruption theme, but Mr. Vijay is more popular than Vijayakanth. He attracts huge crowds, especially youth. Even the ruling DMK can’t bring in such crowds voluntarily,” he said.

While crediting the Dravidian parties with their developmental policies, both social and industrial, the academician, however, said politics has now become corrupt. “Mr. Vijay is a film personality. He understands the psychology of the masses. The rule of law has now become the ruling party’s law. That is why he is taking on the ruling governments,” he added.

“On the flip side, unlike [actor-turned-Chief Ministers] MGR and Jayalalithaa, Mr. Vijay is not close to the rank and file. He is in isolation all the time. Also, the TVK’s second line of leadership is not impressive. However, Tamil Nadu’s peculiar politics lacks a collective leadership as Dravidianism has shown the way to herding. Mass appeal counts,” he asserted.

Against the ideologically inclined DMK and politically masterful late M. Karunanidhi, it was the personal charisma and political acumen of MGR and J. Jayalalithaa that had kept the AIADMK in power for a longer time than its arch-rival. Mr. Vijay, with his mass appeal, seems to be gradually filling the charismatic leaders’ role.

But is that adequate to penetrate the world of politics? “Popularity in cinema doesn’t always bring votes. We can’t draw a parallel between Mr. Vijay and MGR. MGR had a strong hold in the party, and he broke ranks while he was the treasurer of the DMK. He campaigned and worked hard for all those years. He also brought the underprivileged and the subaltern into his movies. The titles would resonate with communities, like Vivasayi, Padagotti and Meenava Nanban,” said P. Ramajayam, an academician.

“Grass-roots politics requires social and political mobilisation, involving several groups like minorities and subalterns”, he said. “Mr. Vijay’s popularity seems to be higher among the youth. But so far, he has not been tested electorally. He is confident and wants only positive results,” he added.

Long-time political observers feel that apart from the mass appeal, the party needs social and political mobilisation. The TVK should have a strength of about 300 to 400 cadre per booth to secure around 100 votes each. If the party garners 15% of votes, Mr. Vijay would have a future as a politician.

“Mr Vijay is certainly a large crowd puller, and the crowds are organic. Only two leaders do not pay for crowds— [Naam Tamilar Katchi’s] Seeman and Mr. Vijay,” said R. Kannan, biographer of former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and MGR.

Asked if Mr. Vijay would succeed, he says, “May 4 [election counting date] will give the answer.”

Published – April 07, 2026 05:58 pm IST

Chennai:

Talks within the party had been going on for at least three months. Seniors in the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) had initially been annoyed that the first-time MLA and son of Chief Minister MK Stalin – Udhayanidhi Stalin – had been given a ministerial berth just a few months after winning the safe Chepauk seat in 2021.

But egos were massaged and tempers calmed by Mr Stalin’s men in backroom talks with miffed seniors. Once everyone was onboard, Mr Stalin announced a cabinet reshuffle, elevating his son Udhayanidhi as the Deputy Chief Minister.

“I have been a minister and I view this as an additional responsibility. I welcome all criticism,” said Udhayanidhi Stalin outside the DMK party headquarters on Sunday.

DMK leaders told NDTV Profit on condition of anonymity that this elevation was to groom the young leader into taking over as Chief Minister when the time came. It is well known that MK Stalin is not in the prime of health. A clear succession has therefore been chalked out well in advance.

But all is not well within the DMK. Some are resigned to the dynastic leadership, while others are angry.

The seniormost leader within the ruling DMK party, Duraimurugan, 86, walked out of a press meet in Vellore in a huff barely a week ago. Reporters had questioned him as to whether Udhayanidhi Stalin would become the Deputy Chief Minister.

While Duraimurugan is the most vocal among senior leaders, others have put on a brave face and outwardly expressed support. Many leaders feel that the glass ceiling has been hit for the third generation in a row, from Mr Karunanidhi to Mr Stalin and now Udhayanidhi. The party, they feel, has become entirely dynastic in nature, and merit holds no value.

This is perhaps the biggest battle Udhayanidhi will face in the years to come – how to keep the flock together when they know they will never make it to the top.

A Controversial Deputy Chief Minister

Udhayanidhi is viewed by many party members as having been born with a silver spoon and lacking in political and administrative experience.

An actor and producer who literally controls the Tamil entertainment industry along with the stranglehold of the Marans. Udhayanidhi was associated with the production firm Red Giant but ostensibly resigned from the company once he became an MLA in 2021.

It is an open secret in Kollywood that the DMK first family controls the narrative and the funding in the Tamil film industry, second only to Bollywood.

Udhayanidhi’s repeated comments on wanting to eradicate Sanatana Dharma earned him the ire of believers and the BJP ahead of the elections. He refused to back down. The Supreme Court bench comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta had even observed – “You abuse your right under Article 19(1)(a) (of the Constitution). You abuse your right under Article 25. Now you are exercising your right under Article 32 (to file plea in the Supreme Court)? Do you not know the consequences of what you said? You are not a layman. You are a minister. You should know the consequences.” This was in March.

Another party senior, TR Baalu had publicly rebuked Udhayanidhi back then. “He is not afraid of his father or of anyone. He speaks anything he feels like, thinking that he can manage it later. But I caution him to remember that it is his duty to make sure that the object he holds in his hand should not fall down and break. The entire country is scared of the DMK Youth Wing Head, wondering what he will do next,” said Baalu.

Those senior leaders who tended to criticise Udhayanidhi have been put firmly in their place. Leaked audio conversations of then Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan accusing Udhayanidhi and Mr Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan of corruption led to the former investment banker being shunted out to the IT Ministry in May 2023.

On the other hand, loyalists of Udhay have been given promotions. TRB Raaja took over the important portfolio of Industries. He is viewed as being close to the DMK scion. Similarly, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, a long-time friend of Udhay was made Minister for School Education. Another Udhay loyalist, Hasan Mohammed Jinnah, was made the State Public Prosecutor and the Director of Prosecution to the Tamil Nadu government.

Young Blood, Fresh Ideas

Udhayanidhi’s faction though believes that he will breathe new life into governance. The DMK has to fulfil promises made in its manifesto. Jobs must be created, industry must come to the state and the many welfare schemes need financial support.

It is believed that the elevation of Udhay would provide a fillip to this. It is hoped that he will bring new ideas to the table and cut red tape across the board.

What he could would need to figure out first though, is how to get much-needed funds from the Centre. Developing a rapport with an ideologically opposed party in power at the Centre is no mean feat. Mr Stalin, for all his bombast, has managed to keep a practical line to the Centre intact.

Udhay will be need to be groomed to take this forward and develop strong albeit backdoor relations with the BJP.

As for dealing with troublesome angry seniors, he could take a leaf out of Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s book.

In August, Rajinikanth, at a book launch event said, in the presence of Chief Minister Stalin – “It is astounding how Chief Minister MK Stalin handles senior students. It is easy for teachers to handle new students. But old students are difficult. Here we have not old students or failed students, but rank holders who refuse to leave the class. DMK leader Karunanidhi has nurtured them since they were young. It is not easy to manage them. Durai Murugan was one tough person for Karunanidhi to handle,” he said, as the audience and the chief minister erupted in laughter.

A furious Duraimurugan retorted that senior actors without teeth continue to act and deny roles to younger actors.

The point though was made loud and clear. And while it may not have been in Mr Stalin’s voice, his mirth said it all.

The DMK has its next leader. It is now up to him to learn the ropes and deliver.

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has hinted at a cabinet reshuffle on his return from the US trip to draw investments to the state. There was intense speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader would elevate his son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, as his deputy and bring in a few new faces removing a few sitting ministers before his foreign trip.

Asked by reporters if there would be a change in the council of ministers, Mr Stalin said, “Only change is unchanging. Wait and see”.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, 46, is currently Tamil Nadu’s sports and youth welfare minister. He also handles the key portfolio of special programme implementation.

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Rise In Tamil Nadu Politics

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation would be a key step in strengthening the second-rung leadership in the DMK, sources have said.

This is also being seen as a key move to counter the entry of Tamil star Vijay in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls.

The junior Stalin had handled DMK’s key campaign responsibility in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, 2021 assembly polls, and this year’s Lok Sabha election, which was swept by the party in the state, raising expectations of rewards.

To avert any rebellion, the party has already rewarded sons and daughters of senior leaders and made them MLAs, ministers, and  MPs. The list includes TRB Rajaa, Thangam Thennarasu, Tamilachi Thangapandian, Kathir Anand, Kalanidhi Veerasamy, MK Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran.

MK Stalin’s US Visit

MK Stalin has embarked on a 17-day trip to the US to bring investments and high-end jobs to the state.

Mr Stalin’s first stop will be Silicon Valley, where he will meet with potential investors, including CEOs of global Fortune 500 companies in San Francisco. He will also meet non-resident Tamil communities in San Francisco and Chicago.

Speaking to NDTV, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa said, “Tamil Nadu is poised for significant growth, and we expect a lot of good news from the US on investments”.

“The Chief Minister will ensure that the state gets the best. You’d be excited about the outcome,” he added.

According to sources, Mr Stalin’s special focus is on areas like artificial intelligence, research and development in tech, and attracting global capacity centers.

With a vision to turn Tamil Nadu into a one trillion dollar economy by 2030, Mr Stalin’s US tour is seen as a crucial step in realizing the state’s vision of becoming a hub for high-end jobs and global investments.

This is his fourth overseas trip as Chief Minister to draw investments. The state government claims these visits and other initiatives have resulted in investment commitments worth Rs 9.3 lakh crore over the last three years, which is expected to generate 31 lakh direct and indirect jobs.