TVK leader JCD Prabhakar elected Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker. Photo: X.
JCD Prabhakar, senior Tamil Nadu politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) legislator, was unanimously elected Speaker of the state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, May 12, after the newly appointed Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay proposed his name for the coveted position. Pro-Tem Speaker M V Karuppaiah formally declared him elected unopposed after no other nomination was filed. The appointment comes days after TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, winning 108 seats. Vijay subsequently became chief minister with the backing of the Congress and several smaller parties.
Veteran Politician Takes Charge of Assembly
JCD Prabhakar is regarded as a seasoned figure in Tamil Nadu politics, with a career tracing back to the MGR era. He first entered the Assembly in 1980 as an AIADMK MLA from Villivakkam and later played an organisational role within the party during the tenure of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Prabhakar is widely seen as an old-school politician with connections across multiple political camps, an attribute considered important for the role of Assembly Speaker. Prabhakar joined TVK in June last year and contested the 2026 Assembly elections from the prestigious Thousand Lights constituency. He defeated Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate Ezhlian Naganathan to secure victory.
The Thousand Lights seat is considered one of Chennai’s most prominent and politically significant Assembly constituencies. Located in Central Chennai, the constituency has historically been associated with influential political leaders and carries considerable cultural and political importance.
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had represented the constituency, winning consecutively in 1996, 2001, and 2006 before shifting to Kolathur. Stalin, however, lost from Kolathur in the 2026 elections.
Though TVK is a relatively new political outfit, Vijay’s decision to back an experienced legislator for the Speaker’s chair is being viewed as a strategic move aimed at ensuring stable Assembly proceedings.
Tamil Nadu’s Assembly has historically witnessed sharp political confrontations, and TVK does not enjoy a simple majority on its own, depending instead on alliance partners for support. In such a political environment, the Speaker’s role assumes added significance, making experience and political management crucial for the smooth functioning of the government.
Prabhakar’s election also came on a day when reports pointed to growing internal divisions within the AIADMK over its approach towards the new government.
A major faction within the party openly extended support to Vijay’s administration, exposing deepening cracks within the opposition party that once dominated Tamil Nadu politics.
The faction led by senior AIADMK leaders CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani announced support for the ruling TVK government on Tuesday.
“The people’s mandate is not for TVK. The mandate is for Vijay to become the chief minister,” Shanmugam said while congratulating Vijay and extending support to the government.
The development highlighted an apparent power struggle within the AIADMK, with rival camps differing on whether to support the new dispensation or continue under party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami’s leadership line.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government also announced a major administrative decision on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Vijay directing the closure of 717 TASMAC liquor shops situated within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stations.
According to the government, the order is to be implemented within two weeks “for the welfare of the public.”
In an official statement, the government said: “Currently, 4,765 liquor retail shops are being operated by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). Among these, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, S Joseph Vijay, ordered an audit to identify shops located within 500 meters of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stations.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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