Since coming to power in Tamil Nadu following a historic mandate, Chief Minister Vijay has always asserted that the TVK aims to provide a “corruption-free government”. However, Vijay’s plan to shift to a new office has triggered a massive controversy, with the BJP levelling the first-ever corruption allegation against the government, which recently completed 100 days. The BJP has alleged irregularities in the Rs 5.54 crore tender issued for relocating the CMO – a charge dismissed by the TVK.
The controversy stems from Vijay’s plan to shift the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) from the main block of Fort St George to the adjoining Namakkal Kavingar Maaligai building, which was built by former Tamil Nadu CM Kalaignar. Both are within the same Secretariat complex. The TVK has claimed that the relocation was not about “personal luxury” but to provide more comfortable and adequate space for his officials and staff.
However, the opposition DMK and the BJP have alleged that work on the new office had already begun before the tender process was completed. In fact, the BJP has alleged that the Rs 5.5 crore tender was floated a month after construction started.
WHAT IS THE ROW OVER VIJAY GOVT’S NEW OFFICE?
What is the controversy? What due process is followed when issuing tenders? What is the alleged lapse by the TVK that has raised questions? Stay with us, and we will decode the issue for you.
The due process is fairly straightforward. The project value is first disclosed online. In this case, the value was Rs 5.54 crore.
In this case, it has been alleged that when the e-tender was initially put out, the project value was marked as ‘NA’ – not applicable. In other words, the Rs 5.5 crore cost was not mentioned. This immediately raised eyebrows.
Now, TVK minister Aadhav Arjuna has said this could have been a technical glitch.
Secondly, tender documents are normally uploaded online first, as part of the process, before the print advertisements are issued.
In this case, it has been alleged that the tender documents were not uploaded at the outset. They were allegedly uploaded only after the print ads had appeared.
The BJP has alleged that the tender notification for the new CMO was published in newspapers on August 13, but was uploaded online only four days later, on August 17.
Thirdly, the print ad and the online tender should carry the same details – the project cost, duration and other specifications. In this case, there was a discrepancy in the project value. While the value was initially mentioned as ‘NA’ in the tender, the print ad carried the Rs 5.54 crore cost.
These are the issues that have raised questions.
The TVK has maintained that there is no question of any “scam”. It suggested that what happened was a lapse. Significantly, the tender has not yet been awarded.
ROW ECHOES IN TAMIL NADU ASSEMBLY
The controversy echoed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday.
DMK MLA EV Velu underlined that former chief ministers like Kalaignar, MG Ramachandran, Jayalalithaa functioned from their Fort St George office all these years.
“If Tamil Nadu is regarded as the No.1 state in India, it is because all these chief ministers functioned from that very room,” he said.
“Shouldn’t the chief minister simply continue working from the existing room? Because of the relocation, people attached to the secretariat association are saying that they have no place to eat or rest,” he further said.
Calling the reports “incorrect”, TVK’s Arjuna, who is the PWD minister, asserted that the tender process was not yet complete. He said there was a reason why the Schedule of Rates (SoR) for the Chief Minister’s office project had not yet been announced.
Schedule of Rates is basically the government’s price list for construction work, such as cement, steel, labour, etc.
He said if the new rates were announced now, contractors might increase their bids. “Usually, they increase their bids by 3%, 5%, or 7%. However, we have given all departments the same Schedule of Rates that was in effect last year,” Arjuna said.
The TVK minister further emphasised that both Kalaignar and Jayalalithaa wanted a new Secretariat to be constructed. “Is there any disagreement about that?” Arjuna said.
He further stressed that the new office was not being constructed for Vijay’s “personal comfort” or for his own requirements.
Arjuna also pointed out that the four secretaries were currently working in spaces of less than 100 sq ft, and there were no proper toilet facilities for officials.
“The Chief Minister meets people from various sections from 9.30 am till 5 pm. Many foreign delegations also come… but there are no proper facilities for them,” Arjuna said.
DMK’s Velu pushed back, arguing that Arjuna’s explanation on pricing was incorrect. He asserted that contractors typically compete to secure government work, regardless of profit margins.
The controversy marks the first major corruption allegation to hit the three-month-old Vijay-led government.
While the TVK government has clarified that the discrepancies were due to a lapse and insisted that there was no scam, the BJP and the DMK have questioned the tender process. It remains to be seen how the Vijay government tackles its first major political test.
– Ends
Published By:
Abhishek De
Published On:
Aug 19, 2026 11:24 IST
