Former DMK minister and former Madurai MLA PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan appears to have found a new political pastime after being pushed out of power: picking fights with journalists on social media.
On 7 September 2026, NDTV journalist Vasudha Venugopal posted on X about the increasingly bitter political exchanges between the DMK and TVK.
She wrote, “If the DMK is trying hard to reduce TVK to a non-serious, reel-generating party, TVK is clearly working to paint the DMK as a bullying, abusive party that disrespects women. The battle lines are clear, and the political war is only getting sharper…..”
If the DMK is trying hard to reduce TVK to a non-serious, reel-generating party, TVK is clearly working to paint the DMK as a bullying, abusive party that disrespects women. The battle lines are clear, and the political war is only getting sharper…..
— Vasudha Venugopal (@Vasudha156) September 7, 2026
PTR responded by dismissing her commentary and taking a swipe at her location and identity as a journalist.
“TN is facing a decline in public safety, policy paralysis & fiscal uncertainty as a rudderless new government is mired in inertia
South-origin “journalists” like you should focus on issues, not pontificate on “politics” from Noida. Are you all competing to be the next Navika🤦♂️”
The exchange did not end there.
Another DMK supporter joined the conversation, mentioned India Today journalist Akshita and wrote, “Madam Akshita is the undisputed winner for that title. The rest are simply sailing along with the ship at least until their central masters decide it’s time to change course.”
PTR quoted the post and responded with a simple “💯”, before launching into another broadside against journalists.
“💯 But ALL these desperate attention seekers (in the hyper-competitive Noida-media pressure chamber), are trying to scoop each other on:
CM is for the people
CM wore blue sirt today
CM had Tea today
Parasites climbing over each other to extract maximum share”
Akshita then replied directly to PTR, “Sir @ptrmadurai you’re someone I deeply respect, and so I will hold back my comments 🙏🏼”
Then came another Times of India journalist Omjasvin’s turn. Reporting on the Assembly proceedings, Omjasvin wrote, “CM C Joseph Vijay rips apart DMK corruption in the assembly. Flags Sarkaria Commission report. Names top leaders and mentions details of how bribes were sought.”
PTR, who seemed to be hurt by the relevations by CM Joseph Vijay, replied attacking Omjasvin, “This is the reply of the Minister holding the Home Portfolio, to the debate on the Demand for Grants for the Dept for 2026-2027. How is ANYTHING in the past related to the ’26-’27 Grant? Are you just incurably stupid and don’t know that after years of being a “journalist”?”
PTR, now out of power, appears to have found a new arena: picking fights with journalists on X.
For someone accusing journalists of chasing attention, he seems remarkably eager to give them his own.
He mocked a journalist’s location, invoked Navika Kumar, endorsed calling journalists “parasites,” and then complained about the very media attention he was actively feeding.
In trying to lecture the media, PTR ended up becoming the story.
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