'Could Be Forgery': AMMK Chief To NDTV On TVK Claiming Support Of His MLA

It was widely reported on Friday that TTV Dhinakaran's lone MLA in AMMK was firmly backing actor-politician Vijay, who is hard-pressed to muster the written support of at least 118 MLAs to fulfil Governor RV Arlekar's precondition for forming the government. However, hours after the TVK chief met the Governor and reportedly submitted letters of support from 116 MLAs, Dhinakaran announced support to the AIADMK, which has not even attempted to form a government of its own.

Asked about his perceived U-turn, Dhinakaran described his party's alleged letter of support to TVK as either "forgery" or "horse-trading".

In an interview with NDTV, Dhinakaran, the nephew of late Jayalalithaa's aide Sasikala, accused Vijay's TVK of trying to poach his MLA. He also demanded action against the party for alleged horse-trading, a term used to describe the trade of political loyalties in return for inducements.

"How can they do horse trading? Whom have the people voted and elected? Mr Kamaraj (Mannargudi AMMK MLA S Kamaraj), against TVK and DMK. It is a case of, clear-cut case of horse trading... Or it may be a forgery. The governor should investigate," he said.

Also read: Governor Not Convinced Vijay Has Majority, No Oath Tomorrow: Sources

He said he and Kamaraj have signed the letter of support to the AIADMK and submitted it to the Governor.

"My secretary went and got it (his letter) signed around 6.30 pm. When I was coming back from Puducherry, I saw on TV that he (Vijay) had given a letter in support of TVK. I was shocked. So, I called the Honourable Governor's office, got an appointment and gave the letter," he said.

The AMMK chief said he wants AIADMK chief and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to be the chief minister of Tamil Nadu again. "Hopefully, we will ask for the support of other parties, and we will form the government," he added.

Also read: Dumped For Vijay, DMK Doesn't Want To Sit With Congress In Lok Sabha Anymore

Vijay, whose TVK won 108 seats, met the Governor on Friday. Sources, however, said he had the written support of only 116 MLAs, two short of the majority mark.

Sources said Vijay hasn't been invited to take the oath as the chief minister on Saturday.

Apart from TTV Dhinakaran, the IUML also released a letter saying it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.

Amid uncertainty, the Congress, which has lent its support to the TVK, has sequestered its five Tamil Nadu MLAs in Hyderabad.

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Votes, Victory and Viral Interest: Vijay, TVK Ride High On Google Trends

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam which won 108 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to finish as the single-largest party, a victory widely attributed to the star appeal of actor-turned-politician Vijay. However, despite the mandate, the party is facing hurdles in forming the government. In an effort to break the continuing deadlock, Vijay is scheduled to meet Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Arlekar.

Meanwhile, public curiosity around Vijay and his newly formed party has grown well beyond Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Across the country, there is keen interest to know the newly formed party.

Vijay to TVK Search

According to Google Trends data covering the past 30 days from April 8 to May 8, 2026, search interest for actor-turned-politician Vijay in India began rising sharply around April 14, just ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The trend climbed further by April 23, the polling day in Tamil Nadu, reflecting heightened public interest during voting.

A second surge was recorded on May 4, 2026, coinciding with vote counting, as people searched more actively for updates on Vijay and his party. Since then, however, the trend has gradually started to decline.

A similar trend was visible in Tamil Nadu as well. While search interest from within the state remained relatively muted before polling day, it surged sharply once the results were declared. Tamil Nadu's search activity then rose to levels comparable with the rest of the country.

Google Trends measures search interest on a scale of 1 to 100, where 100 represents the peak level of search activity for a given term, and lower values indicate comparatively lesser search.

Searches for the party name followed the same pattern and peaked on the same days as searches for actor Vijay. The trend rose on polling day and reached its highest point on result day, both in Tamil Nadu and across the nation.

Where in Tamil Nadu ?

In Tamil Nadu, Google Trends data for the period from April 8 to May 8, 2026 shows that search interest for Vijay was highest in Tirupattur, which recorded a score of 100 on the scale. Kovilpatti followed with a search score of 71, while Mayiladuthurai and Karaikudi both recorded search interest at 59.

Queries related to Vijay

Google Trends' rising queries during this period show that public interest in Vijay goes far beyond election results alone. Searches such as "who is the CM of Tamil Nadu," "did Vijay Thalapathy win the election," and "Vijay Thalapathy constituency name" reflect widespread curiosity about his political standing and governance role.

At the same time, queries like "TVK party full form" and "Vijay Thalapathy political party is with BJP or not" indicate that many are still trying to understand the ideology, alliances, and structure of his newly formed party.

The presence of searches linked to West Bengal politics, including "west bengal cm" and "Mamata Banerjee constituency," suggests that Vijay's rise has sparked comparative national interest beyond Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, entertainment-related searches such as fan reaction videos and the resurfacing of the "SRK-Vijay dance video (2013)".

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Aamir Khan Reviews Daadi Ki Shaadi, Praises Riddhima Kapoor's Performance

Aamir Khan attended a special screening of Daadi Ki Shaadi and had only good things to say about the film and its cast.

Ranbir Kapoor's sister, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, is also part of the film. After watching the movie, the actor interacted with the paparazzi and praised the team for their work.

Speaking about Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, who makes her acting debut with the film, Aamir said, "Riddhima ki pehle film hai. Bahot badhiya kaam kiya hai. Ranbir se better kiya hai."

His playful comment comparing her performance to her brother's quickly grabbed attention online.

Aamir also shared his overall review of the film, revealing that he thoroughly enjoyed watching it. "Bahot maza aaya mujhe. So, my very best wishes to the entire team, all the very best, well done, guys," he said.

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What Advice Riddhima Received From Ranbir Ahead Of Daadi Ki Shaadi Shoot

Ahead of the film's release, Riddhima revealed that she received important advice from Ranbir. She said, as quoted by IANS, "I spoke to Ranbir before starting. His biggest advice was to stay honest in front of the camera. He told me to trust my instincts and just live the character rather than perform it, and that really stayed with me."

Riddhima is a fashion designer and entrepreneur. She chose not to pursue acting and instead built a career in luxury jewelry design. But it seems the acting DNA is finally manifesting itself.

Meanwhile, produced by Rtake Studios, BeingU Studios, and Shimla Talkies, Daadi Ki Shaadi is written and directed by Ashish R Mohan. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on May 8, 2026.

ALSO READ: 'Daadi Ki Shaadi Is Not Copied From Pakistani Telefilm': Actor Sadia Khateeb Dismisses Plagiarism Claims

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Bengal Man Took 'No Haircut' Vow Till Trinamool Lost. He's Now Shaved His Head

Fifteen years is a long time to go without a haircut. In West Bengal's Cooch Behar, one man says politics was the reason.

Baneshwar Barman, a resident of Bengal's Baman Para village, finally cut his hair this week after fulfilling a vow he claims to have made in 2011: that he would not trim his hair as long as the All India Trinamool Congress remained in power in West Bengal.

On Thursday morning, surrounded by neighbours and curious onlookers, Barman had his head shaved near his home.

Barman, a migrant worker employed at brick kilns and known in the area as a BJP supporter, maintained the vow for nearly a decade and a half.

“Since the Trinamool government came, I haven't even touched a barber's shop,” he said.

Asked whether the long hair affected his work, Barman laughed and replied: “No, I tie it in a bun.”

“On May 4, the day the election results were declared, my eyes were glued to the TV screen from early morning. When the BJP crossed the 100-seat mark, I simply could not take my eyes off the screen. Today, I am truly overjoyed,” Barman said.

Barman said he now plans to return to normal life after ending the symbolic protest.

“Now that the BJP is here, new hair will grow. I'll cut it whenever I want,” he said.

As news spread through the village, residents gathered near his home. After the tonsure ceremony, family members and locals distributed muri, or puffed rice, as part of the celebrations.

Explaining the reason behind his long-standing frustration, Barman claimed there had been little development in the area over the past 15 years.

He said his family, including his son and two daughters, had struggled through the period and that the lack of visible change was one of the reasons he had hoped for a political shift.

(With inputs from Prabir Kundu)

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"Unfair Criticism": Karti Chidambaram On DMK's "Backstabber" Remark

Congress's Karti Chidambaram told NDTV today that the "backstabber" tag from the DMK following the Grand Old Party's decision to form an alliance with Vijay is "unfair criticism". The DMK, upset at the Congress decision, has called off the alliance that has been in place since 2004. Chidambaram said while he respected the ties with DMK, the people's mandate this time demanded that Vijay be allowed to form government and not giving him the necessary support would have led to a stalemate.

#NDTVExclusive | "Offered our support to TVK": Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) to @jsamdaniel pic.twitter.com/Jf5MPlVHhK

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 6, 2026

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Chidambaram said: "The people have clearly voted for a new formation. They want change. They want a new formation to be led by Vijay, and they also have not given Vijay an absolute mandate. So they have told Vijay to go and lead a government, but to go and seek the aid and assistance of other parties. That's why he's reaching out to us, and we have now offered our support."

Read: "Paid High Price For Loyalty": Upset DMK Slams Congress Over Vijay Tie-Up

The decision to ally with Vijay came at a late evening party meeting yesterday after the Congress central leadership gave the state leaders a free hand. 

Ahead of the election, the Congress had decided not to support Vijay and continue their alliance with the DMK. 

There was "aloud thinking in the party to look at other formations and other alliances" before the election, Chidambaram said. "But after wide consultation, it was decided to continue with the existing alliance with the DMK. We fought the election in earnest, but the results have proven otherwise," he added. 

Read: 30 Of 47 AIADMK MLAs Want To Back Vijay, EPS Not In Favour: Sources

It was this decision to continue with the DMK alliance that has pushed party leader Manickam Tagore -- one of the section that batted for an alliance with Vijay -- to remarks that have led to a controversy. Pointing to the people's rejection of the DMK, Tagore had said the Congress had faced collateral damage for "no fault of ours". 

The Congress had won just five of the 28 seats it contested in alliance with the DMK -- down from 18 in 2021.   

Ahead of the election, the DMK had refused to share power with the Congress. Then Chief Minister MK Stalin had categorically refused to even consider the Congress' demand for a share in power if the coalition comes to power, saying it could create an impression of instability. 

This time, the Congress is expecting to get some cabinet berths -- an outcome of the fresh alliance that Chidambaram described as "responsibilities". 

Given the shape of the people's mandate, "We are aiding and assisting him (Vijay) to put together a working coalition. And while we are aiding and assisting him, that also comes with certain responsibilities, and those responsibilities will include us in participating in government," he added.

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Amanpreet Gill, Virat Kohli's Ex-U19 Teammate, Dies; Yuvraj Pays Tribute

Former India U-19 and Punjab medium pacer Amanpreet Singh Gill died at the age of 36 in Chandigarh on Wednesday, leaving the cricket fraternity in mourning. The cause of death is not yet known. Gill, who was Virat Kohli's U-19 teammate, featured in six first-class matches for Punjab, picking up 11 wickets. He was also part of the Punjab franchise (Kings XI Punjab) in the inaugural Indian Premier League season and later served as a member of Punjab's senior selection committee.

"Punjab Cricket Association deeply mourns the sad demise of Amanpreet Singh Gill, former Punjab cricketer and member, Senior Selection Committee, Punjab," the Punjab Cricket Association announced on X.

"Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and loved ones. May Waheguru grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family in this difficult time."

Two-time World Cup-winning India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also paid tribute to Gill.

"Deeply saddened to hear about Amanpreet Singh Gill's passing. I shared the dressing room with him in our early days; he was a quiet, hardworking cricketer who loved the game. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace. Om Shanti," Singh posted on X.

Gill played five Youth ODIs and one Youth Test for India in 2007.

Punjab Cricket Association deeply mourns the sad demise of Amanpreet Singh Gill, former Punjab cricketer and Member, Senior Selection Committee Punjab.

He served Punjab cricket with dedication and passion, representing teams including India Under-19s, Kings XI Punjab and Punjab.… pic.twitter.com/tpr0EwEprk

— Punjab Cricket Association (@pcacricket) May 6, 2026

In the longer format, he claimed the wicket of former Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera.

However, he did not make the Virat Kohli-led India U-19 side that went on to win the 2008 World Cup.

"Deeply saddened by the passing of Amanpreet Singh Shergill, who proudly represented Punjab and was a part of the Punjab Kings family. Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire cricketing fraternity," Punjab Kings posted on their official Instagram account.

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Suvendu Adhikari's Personal Assistant Shot Dead Near Kolkata

The personal assistant (PA) of West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has been shot dead in Madhyamgram, two days after the party's historic win in the assembly election.

The BJP leader's PA, identified as Chandranath Rath, was hit by three out of four bullets fired at him while he was in a moving car, sources said. The suspects followed his car and opened fire when it slowed down, they said.

Visuals showed the car's left front window cracked with bullet holes.

Chandranath Rath had been working for Suvendu Adhikari for many years and handled the BJP leader's political coordination and other work. The PA was considered a part of Suvendu Adhikari's inner circle.

Suvendu Adhikari rushed to the hospital at Madhyagram where the police kept his PA's body.

Another man, Buddhadeb, who was with Rath was injured and was taken to a hospital after the attack in the assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district near Kolkata, sources said.

The PA was driving his own car and Suvendu Adhikari was not with him, the BJP leader's brother Dibyendu Adhikari told NDTV. He sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and alleged the Trinamool Congress's hand in the attack.

"This incident is symptomatic of the culture of violence prevalent all these years, cultivated by the Trinamool Congress. He has been brutally murdered. This should be thoroughly investigated. There is a deeper conspiracy behind the killing," BJP leader Nikhil Prasun told NDTV.

BJP leader Devdas Mondal accused the Trinamool of killing an "innocent man". "We will identify the accused and bring them to justice," he told NDTV.

The Trinamool's Rathin Ghosh had won from Madhyamgram by 2,399 votes amid a strong BJP challenge.

The killing of Adhikari's PA comes on a day when the BJP alleged Trinamool Congress workers impersonating as BJP supporters have been trying to incite violence. Videos on social media showed sporadic incidents of groups going around breaking public property.

Kolkata Police chief Ajay Kumar Nand said at least 80 people were arrested and 65 were taken into custody in specific cases, while 15 others were detained as a preventive measure.

Adhikari, who has earned the name "giant killer" after he defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur seat by over 15,000 votes, is one of the frontrunners for chief minister.

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