Tamil Nadu appoints film producer as Delhi special rep

The Tamil Nadu government has appointed K. Venkata Narayana, a Bengaluru-based businessman and film producer, as the state's Special Representative in New Delhi, a post carrying cabinet rank. The appointment, formalized by a government order dated June 23, 2026, is for a period of one year and marks a significant departure from the tradition of assigning the politically sensitive role to experienced politicians.

Narayana is the chairman of the KVN Group and the producer of Jana Nayagan, the final film of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay before he entered full-time politics. The government order sanctioned the creation of the temporary post, with the terms of the appointment to be notified separately. The Special Representative functions as Tamil Nadu's principal liaison with the Union government, coordinating meetings, following up on central funding and infrastructure projects, and handling parliamentary affairs.

The decision has drawn immediate and sharp criticism from opposition parties, who have questioned both Narayana's qualifications and his background. Leaders from the DMK, AIADMK, and BJP have raised concerns that his close personal ties to the chief minister and his...