Off the cuff: The grand exit that never was

Attendees braced themselves for an AIADMK storm out at the April 29 session of Tiruchy Corporation—after all, four people had died in Woraiyur allegedly after consuming contaminated corporation water. DMK councillors whispered, “What time’s the grand exit?” Journalists clutched their notepads, tapping pens in anticipation. But the opposition party went rogue. A senior AIADMK councillor stood up and calmly declared, “No walkout today. I have more pressing matters to discuss.” Dramatic pause. Eyes widened. Everyone leaned in and… crickets. No big reveal. Just confused journalists sharing awkward glances and DMK councillors stifling laughs. The three AIADMK members sat through the session unabashed. Turns out, only the suspense slipped out of the room, leaving a walkout-shaped hole in the plot.

Worn before, worn better

DMDK’s youth wing secretary Vijaya Prabhakaran — son of actor-politician Vijayakant — strutted into political news this week, claiming he had broken tradition by ditching the veshti for pants and a shirt. A bold move - if it were 1970. Netizens weren’t buying it. Within hours, ‘X’ turned into a runway of receipts — featuring MK Stalin, Vaiko, Tiruchy Siva, R Sarathkumar, and others, all rocking the pant-shirt combo long before Prabhakaran’s political debut. Moral of the story? In politics, making fashion statements is fine, but claiming to invent trousers is a bit rich. Remember Google is your friend.

Bleaching or Ponds powder?

While all eyes were locked on the launch of Minister PK Sekarbabu’s ‘Annam Tharum Amudhakaram’ initiative in Pulianthope, to feed 1,000 people daily for 365 days in celebration of CM Stalin’s birthday, a delicate issue quietly stole the spotlight — bleaching powder that didn’t quite smell like, well, bleaching powder. After a journalist questioned the powder’s legitimacy, claiming it was not bleaching powder, GCC Mayor R Priya, who launched the event, decided to intervene. Sniffing the powder, she cautiously replied, “It does have a smell.” Yet, when onlookers urged her to have the substance clinically tested, an irritated mayor retorted, “If not bleaching powder, is it Ponds powder then?”; opening the floodgates to meme makers everywhere.

DMK’s youth wing spills the beer

After a video showed DMK cadres enjoying beer post a youth wing review near Tirukoilur, party leaders called for swift damage control. A press meet was organised, and youth wing members were given a strict, senior-approved script—memorise it, no ad-libbing. But once the cameras rolled, the performance fizzled. Nervous cadres stumbled through the statement like first-time actors in a school play. After multiple retakes (and a few giggles), even reporters jumped in to help rehearse. In the end, the apology was delivered — lukewarm and a bit flat.

Compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E, Mary Catherene & Arya AJ