Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on June 18 inaugurated the first session of the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and delivered the Governor’s Address, outlining the policy priorities and governance agenda of the newly elected TVK government headed by CM C Joseph Vijay for the next five years.
The address indicated that the Joseph’s TVK government intends to continue several themes that have long dominated Tamil Nadu’s political discourse.
– Language centric politics like to two language formula and no to NEP
– No fair share of funds from the NDA government
– Blames the Centre for Tamil Nadu’s fiscal challenges rather than the previous DMK government’s financial management
– A statewide Social Justice Survey
– Interlinking of rivers
– A crop loan waiver for farmers
However, For the very first time, the National Anthem was rendered both at the commencement of the session and at the conclusion of the Governor’s address.
In his customary address, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar read out the full text, unlike during the earlier DMK regime when the then Governor was compelled to walk out of the House due to either procedural discrepancies or the expunging of his reservations from the Assembly records.
The Joseph Vijay-led TVK coalition government reiterated its firm opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP), in line with the DMK government’s stand. TVK is supported by allies such as the Left parties, IUML and VCK, all of whom have opposed the policy.
After four years, the House witnessed the Governor reading the full text. He even read terms such as “Union Government” (Ondriya Arasu) and references to Periyar in the text in toto.
A non-controversial and non-confrontational Governor's Address session in the #TamilnaduAssembly after a long time.
The governor read all the parts that was prepared by the TN government without any objection.
Is it because of the new Governor or the new government?
Or does… pic.twitter.com/FFrpUn5QOk
— Sanjeevee sadagopan (@sanjusadagopan) June 18, 2026
Opposition to the Three-Language Formula and NEP 2020
The Governor said, “This government will vehemently oppose the National Education Policy 2020 and the three-language formula. This government will take all efforts to shift education from the Concurrent List to the State List.”
He said, “This government will strongly oppose the National Education Policy 2020. The TVK government will also demand the release of ₹3,458 crore due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and urge the Union Government to reconsider linking the release of funds to the implementation of the three-language policy.”
The government also promised measures to improve the quality of education.
Social Justice Survey
The Governor said in his address, “The Tamil Nadu government will conduct a Social Justice Survey in the state after the completion of the Union Government’s caste census exercise.”
Preventing Funds Leakage
He said, “The Tamil Nadu government is taking every measure to prevent all leakages in revenue receipts and to restore the state’s finances onto a sound path, which will enable this government to fully honour the promises it has made to the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Status on Central Funds
The Governor said the government would publish a report detailing the alleged Centre’s “discriminatory approach” towards the state’s financial devolution. “A resolution will be passed in the Assembly demanding Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of financial devolution from the taxes contributed to the Union Government.”
The Governor said, “A resolution will be passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly demanding Tamil Nadu’s due share of financial devolution from the taxes contributed to the Union Government. A special legal committee will be constituted to legally pursue fair financial devolution. A report detailing the Union Government’s discriminatory approach towards the financial devolution of Tamil Nadu will be published.”
Special Legal Committee
He said a special legal committee would be constituted to pursue the issue up to the Supreme Court to ensure that Tamil Nadu receives its due share of funds from the Centre.
The Governor said, “The government will work diligently to press the Union Government to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s welfare, protect the state’s rights and secure the schemes required for its development.”
The government claimed: “A transformation never seen before in Tamil Nadu’s political history has emerged after the Assembly polls. This government has demonstrated a model of shared power and governance, something unprecedented in the state’s 74-year political history.”
White Paper on Fiscal Mismanagement
Arlekar said the government had recently released a White Paper to expose the previous administration’s alleged fiscal mismanagement.
He said, “Over the past few years, Tamil Nadu’s financial position has deteriorated severely,” adding that the state’s debt had nearly doubled in the last five years to around ₹10 lakh crore, amounting to 28.3 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
Interlinking of Rivers
Referring to the TVK government’s plans, the Governor said, “This government will make intensive efforts to implement the river interlinking project, first to interlink the rivers within Tamil Nadu and further to urge the Union Government to interlink the rivers of the southern states.”
He further stated: “The government will undertake all necessary efforts to move education from the Concurrent List to the State List.”
Farm Loan Waiver
Arlekar read: “To help the farming community, the Hon’ble Chief Minister has issued orders for the complete waiver of crop loans from cooperative societies for farmers with outstanding crop loan amounts up to ₹75,000 and a waiver of ₹35,000 for all other farmers. This will benefit 14.43 lakh farmers at an additional expenditure of approximately ₹6,000 crore to the government.”
Protest by DMK MLAs
DMK MLAs came to the House wearing badges carrying the slogan “Speak Out CM”.
'வாயத் திறங்க CM'
என்ற வாசகத்துடன் பேட்ச் அணிந்து சட்டப்பேரவைக்கு வருகை தந்த திமுக உறுப்பினர்கள் pic.twitter.com/Vp39BmLotz
— Spark+ (@SparkPluz_) June 18, 2026
The session opened against a backdrop of vociferous opposition protests by DMK and AIADMK legislators.
DMK MLAs, led by Udhayanidhi Stalin, wore black badges bearing slogans such as “Reels Inge, Real Enge” (Reels Here, Where Is the Real?), “Kadharal Ketkutha CM” (Can You Hear the Cries, CM?) and “Thiraiyil Nayagan, Tharaiyil Villain” (Hero on Screen, Villain on the Ground).
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Tamil Nadu, later stated: “It brings immense satisfaction that, after a hiatus of three years, the Governor’s Address was read in its entirety within the House without any disruption today.”
"I am delighted to convey to the people that today marks the dawning of a new era in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
It brings immense satisfaction that, after a hiatus of three years, the Governor’s address was read in its entirety within the House without any disruption… pic.twitter.com/oHpMRnRwQe— LOK BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@lokbhavan_tn) June 18, 2026
Political observers argue that CM Joseph Vijay is riding on the same inherited narratives of the state and the blame game rather than offering anything new or a change in the governance model for which people placed their trust in him. Though it is early to judge, the indications are not positive, with hopes resting on a vigilant civil society and a constructive opposition.
