Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after days of intense political negotiations following the Assembly election results.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium after Governor R. V. Arlekar cleared the formation of a government led by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

TVK emerged as the single largest party in the 234-member Assembly but initially fell short of the majority mark. The party required support from additional legislators to cross the 118-seat threshold needed to form the government.

The breakthrough came after support from parties including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Congress, CPI and CPI(M), helping Vijay stake a stronger claim before the Governor. Reports said the Governor held multiple rounds of discussions with Vijay before formally approving the oath ceremony.

The development marks a major political shift in Tamil Nadu, where Dravidian parties had dominated state politics for decades. Vijay’s TVK contested its first Assembly election and managed to emerge as a key force in the state.

Earlier uncertainty over the oath ceremony had triggered speculation after Raj Bhavan reportedly sought proof of majority support from the TVK leadership. Vijay met the Governor several times over the past few days amid efforts to secure backing from alliance partners and independent MLAs.

With the numbers now appearing to be in place, preparations for the swearing-in ceremony have intensified in Chennai ahead of Vijay formally taking charge as Chief Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Hyderabad on May 10 to launch and inaugurate projects worth over Rs 7,800 crore while addressing a major BJP public meeting in Secunderabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Hyderabad on Saturday in his first trip to Telangana after returning to power for a third term following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The visit is expected to combine infrastructure announcements with a major political outreach programme ahead of upcoming local body elections in the state.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for multiple development projects collectively valued at around Rs 7,823 crore. Among the key projects is the integrated industrial smart city at Zaheerabad under the Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridor, being developed at a cost of Rs 2,360 crore across 3,245 acres.

PM Modi is also scheduled to inaugurate the PM MITRA Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Warangal. The project, estimated at nearly Rs 1,695 crore, is expected to attract major investments and generate employment opportunities in the textile and apparel sector.

Railway, highway and petroleum infrastructure projects are also part of the programme. These include the third railway line between Kazipet and Vijayawada and national highway works in Mahabubnagar district. A petroleum storage and distribution terminal in Hyderabad is also expected to be inaugurated.

Apart from official engagements, the Prime Minister will visit HITEC City to inaugurate Sindhu Hospital and interact with healthcare professionals before addressing a large public gathering at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad organised by the BJP’s Telangana unit.

The BJP has planned an extensive mobilisation drive for the event and is expecting a crowd of nearly two lakh people. The meeting is being seen as an important political show of strength as the party prepares for the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

Security arrangements have also been tightened ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit, with restrictions imposed on drones, paragliders and microlight aircraft in parts of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

ED conducted searches at multiple locations linked to Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora before arresting him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act

Punjab minister and AAP leader Sanjeev Arora was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday after the agency carried out raids at premises linked to him in Chandigarh and the Delhi-NCR region.

According to officials, the searches were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED reportedly raided four locations connected to Arora and his associates before taking him into custody from his official residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 2.

Arora, 62, is the Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Ludhiana West and currently serves as a minister in the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Reports said this is the third time this year that the ED has conducted action linked to Arora. Earlier raids were also carried out in April and earlier this month as part of an ongoing investigation.

The arrest triggered strong political reactions from the Aam Aadmi Party. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticised the BJP-led Centre, alleging misuse of central agencies against opposition leaders. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also attacked the BJP, saying Punjab would not be intimidated by such actions.

Several reports linked the ED action to an alleged money laundering probe connected to suspected fake GST transactions worth around ₹100 crore. However, the ED has not yet released a detailed official statement publicly outlining all allegations against the minister.

The arrest comes amid heightened political tensions in Punjab, where opposition parties and the ruling AAP have repeatedly clashed over corruption allegations and the use of investigative agencies.