The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has approached the National Commission for Women (NCW) seeking action against Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin over his remarks about actor Trisha during a public rally in Thanjavur.

Describing the comments as “deeply troubling and offensive”, the party alleged that the former deputy chief minister used objectionable language targeting a woman from a public platform. TVK has also announced plans to hold statewide protests over the issue.

TVK alleges remarks objectified a woman

The controversy stems from a protest meeting on the Cauvery water dispute held in Thanjavur on Monday. During his address, Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, alleging that Tamil Nadu had not received Cauvery water while the chief minister remained unconcerned.

According to TVK, the meeting took a controversial turn after members of the audience chanted actor Trisha’s name. The party alleged that Udhayanidhi responded with an offensive double entendre, triggering widespread criticism.

In its complaint to the NCW, TVK said the remarks amounted to “offensive, double-meaning remarks and vulgar innuendos” directed at a prominent female public figure. The party argued that such language from a senior political leader normalises the objectification and verbal harassment of women in public spaces.

Party demands apology and legal action

TVK urged the NCW to take cognisance of the incident and issue a notice to Udhayanidhi Stalin, stating that the remarks were inconsistent with the standards of decorum expected from public representatives.

The party also demanded an unconditional public apology from the DMK leader for what it described as objectifying and vulgar rhetoric. In addition, TVK called for a police case to be registered against him, alleging that the remarks outraged the modesty of women.

Political reactions intensify

The incident drew strong reactions from both TVK and the BJP.

TVK MLA Rhevanth Charan described the remarks as “absolutely disgusting”, saying such comments reflected a decline in political standards and were unacceptable.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy also criticised Udhayanidhi Stalin, calling the remarks “disgusting, obscene, vulgar and shameful”. He further demanded that legal action be taken against the Leader of Opposition.

Earlier controversy involving Trisha

The latest episode comes amid previous controversies involving actor Trisha in political discourse. Earlier this year, Tamil Nadu BJP leader Nainar Nagendran had remarked that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay should “come out of Trisha’s house” before entering politics. Trisha’s legal team had responded to those comments at the time.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party is scheduled to hold its ‘Mangal Milan’ meeting on Tuesday at the Parliament Library Building (PLB) to finalise the ruling alliance’s floor strategy for the remaining 10 days of the Monsoon Session.

According to a note circulated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Parliament, all NDA members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been requested to attend the meeting and reach the venue on time. The programme will begin at 9:30 am at the GMC Balayogi Auditorium.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate in the meeting along with Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh, and other NDA Members of Parliament.

‘Mangal Milan’ is NDA’s rebranded weekly strategy session

The ‘Mangal Milan’ meeting is described as the rebranded version of the NDA’s weekly parliamentary party strategy session. It is aimed at promoting constructive discussions and ensuring better coordination among alliance partners during the ongoing Parliament session.

The meeting comes as Parliament continues discussions on key legislative business and government proposals during the Monsoon Session.

Centre introduces Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026

Meanwhile, the Centre on Monday introduced the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.

Union Minister Rao Indrajit Singh introduced the Bill, which seeks to repeal and replace the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959, while retaining the institute’s status as an Institution of National Importance.

The proposed legislation aims to convert the existing society into an autonomous statutory body corporate and provide a modern statutory framework for the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).

It also seeks to broaden the scope of Statistical Sciences by including fields such as theoretical and applied statistics, mathematics, economics, data science, computer science, other quantitative sciences, quantitative social sciences, and modern technologies including cryptology and related disciplines.

Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor has registered his maiden electoral victory by winning the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, ending the BJP’s long dominance in the constituency. The former election strategist defeated BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by a margin of 19,324 votes, marking the first Assembly seat won by both Kishor and his party.

According to Election Commission data, Kishor secured 64,151 votes, while Neeraj Kumar polled 44,827 votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Kumari finished third with 14,273 votes.

Prashant Kishor promises visible changes in Bankipur

After the victory, Prashant Kishor thanked the voters and assured them that development work would begin immediately.

Addressing reporters, he said people would witness visible changes in Bankipur within three months and requested residents to give him that time. He also said his office would remain open not only for the people of Bankipur but for everyone in Bihar.

Kishor described the victory as significant, saying his party had managed to end what he called the BJP’s three-decade hold over the constituency in just 30 days of campaigning.

Says Bihar voters have sent a message to BJP

Speaking after the results, Kishor said the people of Bihar had conveyed a message to the BJP’s central leadership that the state needed a chief minister focused on improving education and creating employment opportunities. He also said voters wanted leadership with a clean public image.

Bihar Chief Minister congratulates Kishor

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated Prashant Kishor on his victory through a post on X.

He said the people had chosen Jan Suraaj in the Bankipur Assembly by-election and extended his congratulations while respecting the democratic verdict.

Why the Bankipur bypoll drew national attention

The Bankipur by-election attracted national attention for several reasons. The constituency has long been considered a BJP stronghold and was represented for multiple terms by senior BJP leader Nitin Nabin, who vacated the seat after moving to the Rajya Sabha.

The contest also gained prominence after Prashant Kishor entered the fray and came in the backdrop of nationwide student protests centred around education-related issues. Political observers had closely watched whether young voters would influence the outcome in the urban Patna constituency.

The BJP also witnessed a last-minute change in candidate after Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew before filing his nomination, following which the party fielded youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar. The RJD nominated Rekha Kumari.

Jan Suraaj opens its electoral account

The victory marks a milestone for the Jan Suraaj Party, which had failed to win any seats in the 2025 Bihar Assembly election. Kishor himself had not contested that election.

With the Bankipur result, Jan Suraaj has opened its electoral account, while Kishor has entered the Bihar Assembly for the first time.

Reacting to the outcome, Jan Suraaj’s Bihar chief Manoj Bharti said the people of Bankipur had voted for change. He claimed the party received support across different sections of society and thanked what he described as the party’s “silent voters” for helping secure the victory.