Watch | Rewind 2023: Five big developments in Tamil Nadu

Constitutional deadlock, legal troubles, political realignments and controversies, caste atrocities and natural disasters – Tamil Nadu has seen it all in the last 12 months

If there was one development that remained alive throughout the year, it was the running feud between the Chief Minister MK Stalin, and the Governor RN Ravi. It began in January when the Governor skipped portions of the approved text of his customary address to the Assembly. Stalin moved a resolution urging the Speaker to take on record only the approved text following which Ravi stormed out of the House. This marked the end of the virtual cold war between the two, and turned into a full-blown war.

In 2024, it remains to be seen if Stalin and Ravi would resolve their differences and actually sit down for a cup of hot tea as suggested by the Supreme Court.

The year also saw the ruling DMK face one of its biggest challenges. Central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department, went after some of its senior ministers and leaders. But its biggest setback came when the ED arrested Minister Senthilbalaji in a money laundering case.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK snapped ties with the NDA, blaming the State BJP leadership. The state BJP president rubbed the AIADMK the wrong way by criticising its leadership and made comments against its former leaders C N Annadurai and Jayalalithaa.

The year also witnessed attacks on Dalits in many parts of the State, with one of the most gruesome attacks happening at Nanguneri. Schoolboys attacked their classmate and his sister with a machette.

The year ended with natural disasters, paralysing lives in different parts of the State. In early December, Cyclone Michaung left Chennai and surrounding areas marooned, and later in the month, several districts in southern Tamil Nadu were hit by torrential rains. People in the south are still struggling to get their lives back on track.

Meanwhile, the death of actor-politiciam Vijayakant on Thursday turned the year-end into a time for mourning for his supporters.