Vijay apologises in Assembly after minister omits honorific for Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay apologised in the state Assembly on Monday after Forest Minister R V Ranjith Kumar referred to former chief minister M Karunanidhi by name without the customary honorific "Kalaignar", prompting protests from opposition DMK members. The incident occurred during a debate on demands for grants for the Health and Revenue departments.

Minister Ranjith Kumar was criticising past cash-for-votes practices and referenced the "Thirumangalam formula", claiming up to Rs 1,500 per vote had been distributed in his Kancheepuram constituency in previous elections. While contrasting past elections with the current administration, he mentioned Karunanidhi simply as "Karunanidhi", violating a long-standing Assembly convention of using formal protocol titles for revered leaders.

DMK members, led by former minister K K S S R Ramachandran, protested immediately. Vijay intervened, halted the minister's speech, and said: "I apologise on his behalf." The chief minister conceded the reference was wrong and offered an explicit apology, defusing the tension in the House.