In rare politics, CM Vijay apologies in Assembly on behalf of TVK minister who referred to Karunanidhi...

In rare politics, CM Vijay apologies in Assembly on behalf of TVK minister who referred to Karunanidhi without title

Apologies are rare in politics, however, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday set a new benchmark after he apologised on behalf TVK minister in the Assembly on Monday who referred to former chief minister M Karunanidhi without using the customary honorifics (directly by name).

R V Ranjith Kumar, who serves as the Forest Minister in the Vijay-led TVK government during the assembly session referred to the late CM as Karunanidhi without using the words "Kalaignar" or "former Chief Minister", sparking an instant objection and protest from the opposition DMK, which described it as a breach of decorum.

Vijay who was present in the Assembly, was quick to jump-in before the controversy spiralled in the House and said that the late leader had been wrongly addressed.

"I apologies on his behalf", Vijay said in the House.

Apologies are rare in politics, especially over such a trivial issue as calling Karunanidhi simply Karunanidhi and not Kalaignar Karunanidhi. The apology did not come from the person who made the… pic.twitter.com/8dxT3wGk3a — Praveen (@DrPraveenwrites) August 17, 2026

The minister's remarks came during a debate in the House over the the demands for grants for the Health and Revenue departments.

In the Assembly, Ranjith Kumar was speaking about the cash-for-votes culture of the past, referring to the controversial “Thirumangalam formula” and claiming that voters in his Kancheepuram constituency had been offered as much as Rs 1,500 per vote during earlier elections.

He contrasted those elections with the present government, saying it had come to power without distributing money for votes. But while recounting the alleged poll practices of the past, the minister referred to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi simply as “Karunanidhi”.

That triggered an uproar in the Assembly. DMK members, led by former minister K K S S R Ramachandran, objected to the reference, pointing to the long-standing convention of using formal honorifics while referring to revered political leaders in the House.

As the protests grew louder, Vijay intervened and stopped the minister mid-speech. He acknowledged that referring to Karunanidhi without the customary title was inappropriate and apologised on the minister’s behalf. The apology helped calm the House, allowing the debate to continue.

Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.

Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.