Kerala CM announcement highlights: Suspense in Kerala to end tomorrow as Congress to decide among frontrunners

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: As suspense over Keralam's next CM continues after Congress-led UDF's victory, posters targeting Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the party high command have appeared near the Wayanad District Congress Committee office

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, along with DMK MLAs, arrives at the Assembly, as TVK to face floor test today

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay has left from his Neelankarai residence for floor test in assembly.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami, along with his MLAs, arrives at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The TVK govt will face confidence test in the Assembly today

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Several TVK and AIADMK MLAs arrived at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly premises in Tamil Nadu Secretariat ahead of chief minister Vijay's floor test.

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: The frontrunners for becoming Kerala's chief minister are — senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan and AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal.

In Tuesday's meeting with Rahul Gandhi, most Congress leaders backed KC Venugopal for the top post.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: This is not the first time that a battle over the AIADMK has broken out. The dispute erupted after J Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, when rival factions led by Palaniswami, O Panneerselvam and VK Sasikala all staked claim to the iconic two-leaves symbol, prompting the Election Commission to freeze it. In November 2017, after the Palaniswami and Pannerselvam factions merged, EC allotted it the two-leaves symbol, based on the majority support they commanded in both the organisational and legislature wings of the party.

In its order, the EC had said: “The petitions groups (both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam) demonstrated overwhelming support among the members of the General council, and consequently, the Commission hereby holds that the petitioners’ group enjoys the majority support among the members of the General Council and, thus, in the organisational wing of the party.”

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: The delay in decision by Congress on who should be the CM has taken away the sheen from the UDF victory and is leaving its workers and MLAs unable to face the public, an IUML MLA elected from Kondotty assembly seat said on Tuesday.

T V Ibrahim, the MLA elect from Kondotty, told a TV channel that wherever he goes people ask him when will the chief minister be decided, leaving him with no answer to the query.

"This is a problem faced by every worker and member of not just the Congress, but the UDF coalition partners, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). As a result, we are unable to step out in public," he claimed. (PTI)

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) plunged into crisis on Tuesday as two party factions differed on supporting the ruling alliance led by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and submitted rival claims of being the original outfit to the speaker.

The split came a day before Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay faces a trust vote on the floor of the House. Both sides claimed to be the real party – a replay of the crisis following former CM J Jayalalithaa’s death—but it was unclear just how many lawmakers each faction of the AIADMK had.

On Tuesday, TVK lawmaker JCD Prabhakar was elected speaker unanimously. Soon after the election, one faction led by senior leader CV Shanmugam elected SP Velumani as the AIADMK leader in the legislative assembly and former state minister C Vijayabhaskar as whip. Shanmugam claimed the support of 21 lawmakers and backed the TVK.

Hours later, former AIADMK minister OS Manian, flanked by senior party leaders, gave a letter to the speaker, declaring Palaniswami as the legislature party chief. “All the 47 (AIADMK) MLAs have signed a letter stating that Palaniswami is the leader of the legislature party,” he told media persons, after meeting the speaker. SS Krishnamurthy was appointed as the whip.

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Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Senior Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily on Tuesday rejected the BJP’s claims of infighting within the party over government formation in Kerala, asserting that the Congress does not “impose candidates” on the people.

"Where is the infighting? The government has not yet been formed, so where is the question of infighting? Unlike the BJP, we do not simply impose candidates; we follow a proper consultation process. This is the procedure we take..." Moily told news agency ANI.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Shanmugham accused AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami of wanting to form the government with the backing of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, saying the AIADMK was founded to ‘uproot’ the DMK and that such a decision was not acceptable to them.

“When we heard this, we were shocked. How is it possible? We told him (Palaniswami) that it is against the founding principles of our party. It cannot happen,” Shanmugham said.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: If the rebel AIADMK MLAs vote with Vijay and their count reaches or crosses 32, they have a credible legal argument for merger protection under anti-defection law.

Vijay would emerge with a substantially more comfortable majority, less dependent on any single coalition partner, and the AIADMK would effectively split into two functioning factions, with consequences that will outlast this assembly term.

If the rebels fall short or change their minds, Vijay may still win the confidence vote on the strength of his existing coalition, but the rebel lifeline proves hollow.

The AIADMK entered this election already weakened, winning only 47 seats from 164 it contested.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: OS Manian, speaking for the EPS camp of AIADMK, dismissed all talk of a split within the party and asserted that all 47 MLAs had already submitted a signed document to the assembly speaker affirming EPS as leader of the legislative party.

The rebels, he said, were "spreading a bag of lies" after “failing to secure victories in their own districts”. He alleged they were doing that to get ministerial berths in Vijay's cabinet.

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: The three main contenders for the post of chief minister of Kerala are senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan and AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: On Tuesday, Vijay visited rebel AIADMK leader CV Shanmugam's Chennai residence, where the group of rebel MLAs formally extended support to the TVK government, but their count remains precarious, and that will matter for their immediate future.

Shanmugam spoke of the rebellion as “a new life” for the party that's been in free fall since the death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016. "Amma rule" should return, he said, referring to Jayalalithaa, a filmstar-turned-political supremo like Vijay. He argued that supporting the TVK was the right course for that new life.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay on Tuesday issued orders for the closure of 717 liquor shops located within 500 meters of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stations, the government said on Tuesday.

The order should be executed within two weeks for the welfare of the public, it said.

“Currently, 4,765 liquor retail shops are being operated by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). Among these, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, S Joseph Vijay, ordered an audit to identify shops located within 500 meters of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stations,” an official release said on Tuesday.

In accordance with the said order, it was identified that 717 liquor retail shops are operating within these three categories.

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Muraleedharan said on Tuesday and another meeting will be held before picking Kerala CM, which will be chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

He said that a final decision will be made after consultations with Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, reported PTI.

While Kharge returned to the national capital from Bengaluru on Tuesday evening, he did not hold any meeting with the Kerala leaders.

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Muraleedharan told reporters on Tuesday that he was “satisfied” with his discussions with party leader Rahul Gandhi.

"A decision will be made on the Kerala CM by tomorrow," he said on Tuesday.

Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held one-on-one discussions with several former Kerala Congress leaders in an effort to end the uncertainty surrounding the selection of the state’s next chief minister, with a decision likely on Wednesday.

Gandhi met several senior Kerala leaders, including former state unit chiefs, working presidents and other key party figures, at Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence.

Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: TVK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday congratulated JCD Prabhakar and M Ravishankar for assuming office as Speaker and deputy Speaker of the legislative assembly respectively.

He made his maiden speech in the assembly on Tuesday and said the House must function as both the 'heart and the brain' of democracy.

"Here, everyone is equal. Even parties represented by a single member in this House must have their views valued equally alongside those expressed by the members of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, who hold a larger mandate. Good suggestions must be accepted, and unsuitable ones rejected. This Assembly must function as both the heart and the brain of democracy. It is with this vision that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has proposed a distinguished individual of great dignity and historic stature to preside over this esteemed Assembly, and today you occupy that Chair," Vijay said.