Goa, Aug. 18 -- A tense moment unfolded in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after forest minister RV Ranjith Kumar referred to former chief minister and DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi simply as "Karunanidhi" during a debate, without using the customary honorific "Kalaignar" or referring to him as a former chief minister.

The remark immediately drew objections from members of the opposition DMK, who protested the minister's choice of words. The issue arose during a discussion on the demands for grants for the health and revenue departments.

Kumar was discussing alleged cash-for-votes practices during previous elections and referred to what is popularly known as the "Thirumangalam formula".

During his speech, the minister claimed that vot...