Speaking at the DMK headquarters in Chennai on June 6, where VCK MLA Paniyur Babu and around 1,000 others - including members from several other parties - formally joined the DMK, Stalin said his party had initially committed to refraining from criticism for six months to allow the new government to find its footing.

Shortly after the new government was sworn in, Stalin had already remarked that it could collapse any day, asking cadres to remain prepared and predicting that Tamil Nadu could see early elections as soon as 2029, alongside the Lok Sabha polls. Saturday's remarks signal that the DMK is now shifting from veiled caution to active political pressure.

Alleged growing unrest

Beyond the assembly floor, the TVK government is also contending with rising allegations about law and orders issues and several problems. Frequent and prolonged power cuts have drawn sharp criticism across constituencies. In Mudukadu panchayat, residents directly confronted Tiruporur MLA Vijayaraj during an official visit, raising concerns over unrelenting electricity disruptions in what became a tense standoff.

Law and order has emerged as another pressure point, with critics arguing that incidents of public unrest have increased since the TVK assumed office.

Last week, Vijay addressed a huge gathering in Trichy, where he criticised the DMK for "blaming him" for mistakes it had committed over its five-year rule. "They promised to give me six months time, but began criticising me the same afternoon," he quipped.