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Just a year for the most bitter battle for the Tamil Nadu gaddi and a whole host of chinks and breaches in the DMK armour are tumbling out. Is the DMK being dismantled by a cunning Chanakya? Are DMK MP K Kanimozhi and MK Alagiri being instigated to rebel against a dynastic family succession? Political seers are seeing red at every turn. The latest buzz about the Maran brothers, Kalanithi and Dayanidhi fighting for their share of spoils has shaken the DMK leaders and cadres. The father of Maran brothers, Murasoli Maran was Kalaignar’s (nephew) alter ego, power broker and conscience keeper. The two families grew wealthy and powerful even as the DMK’s political relevance grew to sustain the families. Kalanithi, founder of the SUN TV Group, an entrepreneur with an unfailing Midas touch and brother Dayanidhi too basked in the sun’s radiance and held sway in Delhi. The timing of the fallout is what everybody is questioning. Whose hidden hand is at work? The recent star status accorded by PM Modi to Kanimozhi (Stalin’s step sister) to lead an all-party delegation post Operation Sindoor indicates she is a power centre in her own right. Was she given the plum role to highlight that she too was ready for the state’s CMship? On his recent visit to Madurai, an estranged Stalin made amends by calling on older brother MK Alagiri, who assured Stalin that he is no longer interested in politics and would create no trouble as the family’s “Southern Satrap”. BJP knows that 2026 may be too early to make a significant dent in the iron grip of the Dravidian parties. But chipping away brick by brick could dent that grip. Chanakya at work on many fronts.
After spending two years at 10 Janpath with his mother Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is moving into a new address. He started the process of shifting on his birthday on June 19. It is being said 5, Sunehri Bagh Road, barely two km from 10 Janpath, will be his new address and Rahul will move into the Type VIII bungalow before the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting July 21. The Sunehri Bagh residence was earlier occupied by Karnataka BJP leader A Narayanaswamy, who was Minister of State for Social Justice in the Modi government from 2021 to 2024, and had not contested 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Since he became an MP in 2004, Rahul has been staying at 12, Tughlaq Lane for 19 years till 22 April, 2023. This was the house he had to vacate after he was disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case involving PM Modi. He was given the choice of moving back to 12, Tughlak Lane — but it was believed that it lacked an auspicious vastu and the Gandhis declined moving back. Rahul had the option of paying market rent and continuing to stay in the bungalow after filing an application but he chose to stay with his mother. He continued to stay at 10 Janpath even after the Lok Sabha election and assumed the chair of Leader of Opposition.
Shares of Sun TV Network crashed over 5% on June 19 after a family feud came to light. Dayanidhi Maran accused elder brother Kalanithi Maran of taking control of the Rs23,000 crore Sun TV through fraudulent practices soon after their father Murasoli Maran’s death in 2003. Now, there are reports that the legal battle over Sun TV ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly elections has begun to worry the ruling DMK. DMK leaders have begun to worry how they would face the polls without media, muscle and money. They are not only feeling caught between feuding Maran brothers but also feel they have no answer for the TASMAC liquor scam involving close aides of Deputy CM Udhaynidhi Stalin. Sources close to DMK say Dayanidhi’s revelation is bound to please chief minister MK Stalin’s son-in-law V Sabareesan as well as be music to ears of his sister DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi, who also runs a TV media network Kalaignar. Both Sabareesan and Kani have been in cold and watched Udhaynidhi flex his muscles. In his notice, Dayanidhi sought to restore the Sun TV’s shareholding structure to its pre-September 2003 status. This implies that Dayanidhi and his sister, Anbukarasi Maran, along with MK Stalin, and his two brothers and sister, would be the owners of Sun TV, as Kalanithi did not own any shares in the company 22 years ago. Dayanidhi says that after their father’s death, Kalanithi took over more than 75% of the company, while the shares held by their parents were reduced from 50% to just one single share. He claims Kalanithi used none of his own money to do this. He has threatened to request a government investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office if Kalanithi does not agree to fix the issue. The notice says that when Sun TV was founded in 1985, the only shareholders were MK Dayalu (Karunanidhi’s second wife) and Mallika (Murasoli Maran’s wife).
The West Bengal government’s action is once again under scrutiny after political cartoonist Manjul received a takedown notice from Cyber Crime wing of the state police. News website, The Wire, reported that the notice targeted two 2019 cartoons featuring chief minister Mamata Banerjee; one depicting defections from TMC to BJP, and the other on chit-fund scams under her regime. The state police cited alleged legal violations behind the notice. Earlier in March, FIRs were filed against CPI(M)’s Mohammad Salim and BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya for sharing a video showing a woman being flogged by a TMC leader in North Dinajpur’s Chopra. The post led to public outrage, prompting police to seek content removal. These instances reflect a long-standing pattern. In 2012, Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra was arrested for forwarding a cartoon featuring Banerjee; his case dragged on for a decade. Farmer Shiladitya Chowdhury was branded a “Maoist” by Banerjee after questioning fertiliser prices, then detained and legally pursued. In 2019, Sanmoy Banerjee, ex-Congress spokesperson, was arrested for criticising the chief minister’s nephew. In June 2022, YouTuber Roddur Roy was arrested from Goa for allegedly abusing Banerjee and her nephew. In 2023, advocate and former Congress spokesperson Kaustav Bagchi was also detained for allegedly derogatory remarks about Banerjee. Both later joined the BJP. Notably, during protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College in August 2023, artists criticised the state’s response. In retaliation, the TMC initiated a cultural boycott led by Kunal Ghosh, backed by MP Kalyan Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu.
After Opposition parties BJD and Congress lashing out at Majhi government’s performance, it’s now the turn of titular Puri King expressing his displeasure and disappointment. He has openly shown red flags to CM Mohan Charan Majhi’s administration capability over preparation of Lord Jagannath Temple’s Ratha Yatra in Puri on June 27. The King said, “Everyone thought the Majhi government will make darshan hassle-free at Lord Jagannath temple but nothing has happened so far.” Everything is moving at a snail’s pace and the entry/exit of devotees seeking Lord Jagannath’s blessings is yet to be finalised. This is because the temple management committee has not been formed in the last nine months despite King’s personal written request to the Majhi government to appoint the temple governing body. Meanwhile, the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) management committee issue has now snowballed into a legal issue to be decided by the Odisha high court. According to Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan the delay in appointing the temple management committee is because one ‘sabayat’ and seven others had moved Odisha HC challenging the inclusion of two individuals in the sacred ‘patabola seva’ — a ritual service traditionally reserved for hereditary sevaks of the Puri Jagannath Temple. In the recent HC interim order on 19 June by Justice RK Patnaik, he has now directed SJTA to consider excluding finalisation of two names of the new temple committee members for participating in the committee meeting since it is reserved for hereditary sevaks.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has targeted the BJP for distorting Bengal’s contribution to India’s freedom movement through the recently released film Kesari Chapter 2, starring Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday. Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) have accused the filmmakers of deliberately altering the names of iconic Bengali revolutionaries, alleging that this was done with political intent, as Kumar is known to be close to PM Narendra Modi and the BJP. According to Didi, the BJP had been consistently targeting the state and its rich cultural heritage. The film, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, released in theatres on April 18 and later on OTT platform JioCinema, has now landed in controversy. A formal police complaint has led to a FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly insulting freedom fighters and misrepresenting historical facts. Ranjit Biswas, a resident of Nabapalli Sector IV in Bidhannagar South, filed the complaint, claiming that the courtroom scene in the film related to the Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case misrepresents revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Barindra Kumar Ghosh. In the movie, they are portrayed as ‘Khudiram Singh’ and ‘Birendra Kumar’ from Amritsar, which Biswas called an “insult to Bengal’s martyrs.” Following the complaint, the police have registered a case under BNS Sections 352 (intentional insult), 353(1)(c) (public mischief), and 353(2) (dissemination of false information). The TMC has demanded an apology and correction, accusing the film of whitewashing Bengal’s revolutionary history.
The Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra is facing some sticky moments over the entry of two controversial politicians, both belonging to the Shiv Sena (UBT). BJP sympathisers and supporters are perturbed over the welcome accorded to Sudhakar Badgujar and Baban Gholap, both from Nashik in north Maharashtra. Badgujar was till a fortnight ago a close associate of Sena MP Sanjay Raut. He was expelled from that party since he presented a memorandum listing civic demands to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who was visiting Nashik. Badgujar was in the news for the past year after his pictures dancing with Salim Kutta, an alleged operator of Dawood Ibrahim, went viral on social media. Several BJP members had castigated the Sena though he had remained untouched. Even after he joined the BJP, Raut was cautious to react. Normally in the habit of launching a tirade against Sena opponents, Raut merely said about Badgujar that he would not comment on those who were not in his party. Gholap, a former minister in the first Sena-BJP alliance regime, was imprisoned for fraud and was rather inactive politically for a long time. His BJP entry was somewhat surprising for many. The BJP is facing heat for admitting the duo. Fadnavis has said that none should be held guilty unless convicted by the court. All said and done, Badgujar’s entry into the BJP has weakened the Sena (UBT) which is already facing a deluge.
Various political parties in Maharashtra are unanimous in opposing the imposition of Hindi in primary schools. The issue of teaching Hindi has provided cannon fodder to the various political outfits, which have started flexing their muscles in view of the coming local body elections. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has repeatedly clarified that the opposition to Hindi teaching is misplaced but this has had no effect for those who have taken up cudgels against Hindi’s teaching. For the first time in many years, the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by his cousin Raj Thackeray have expressed similar sentiments on the touchy situation. Those leaders and insignificant political parties, which had been in hibernation after the Lok Sabha election, have suddenly reactivated themselves. In this atmosphere, senior leader Sharad Pawar has once again taken an ambivalent position. Pawar has indirectly supported the teaching of Hindi. In a chat with the media, while saying that Hindi should not be imposed, he has observed that hating Hindi will not be in the interest of the students. Pawar also pointed out that nearly 60% of India’s population conversed in Hindi. Pawar’s position is considered reasonable though with a rider, as usual. Other partners of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi are nixed since they can neither support him nor speak against him. The issue, however, has potential to impact the local body elections.
Time to keep fingers crossed as an Indian team, trying to juggle with a number of questions in batting and bowling, will get down to the serious business of the first day of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds on Friday. India’s new captain Shubman Gill (three Tests in England) will have a brush with the maverick Ben Stokes who has led England in 33 Tests and won 20 for a 60.61 % win- record and with an 18- led-13-win record at home for a 72.22 positive percentage. Anyway one looks at it, the odds are stacked against India and Gill. But the charm of multi-day Test run-ins is all about outsmarting the rival team with the bat and ball for near about 450 overs if a contest lasts almost five full days and India has the opportunity to play (out of its skin) to baulk the home team which is a touch short without express fast bowlers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer. England will still have a pace bowling apparatus to trouble the inexperienced (in English conditions) top and middle order in Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair (recalled after many years), Dhruv Jurel and Gill. Fortunes could fluctuate in a matter of a few overs, and the likes of Jaiswal & Co have their task cut out. On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have the experience, but on a day when a team has to bowl 90 overs, the Indian team could be hard-pressed. In these circumstances Gill, while batting and Bumrah, while bowling hold the key for India to take control of events.
There is a saying in Hindi, Aapko Aam khanese matlab hai ya ghutli ginnese? For Dr S Ramadoss and his feuding son, Dr Anbumani, the PMK and its symbol, the Mango have come to a collision point in their succession battle for taking over the party. In this bitter battle, not just Dr Anbumani but even his wife Sowmya has been targeted by Dr Ramadoss senior stating that her ambition has made the father-son dispute irrevocable. He claims that even as he had brought the alliance with AIADMK to almost closure in 2024, Sowmya sabotaged it with her hectic hospitality, inviting Annamalai to their Thailapuram residence and overturned the alliance as BJP was her choice. The impasse has come to a point where Dr Ramadoss says Dr Anbumani is no longer the party head and leader, even as the son insists that his term lasts till 2026 according to the Election Commission. Going a step higher, Sowmya has taken the matter to the Gods. She travelled with her two daughters to Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi and to the temple of Nambu Nayaki Amman, a temple where thousands of devotees seek the Goddess’s blessings for their problems. This is highlighted by a ritual …fresh green turmeric is ground on stone grinders here then the turmeric paste is offered to Nambu Nayaki. Sowmya, seasoned bahu and politician went a step further …. She offered luscious looking mangoes too , to the Goddess …probably praying that her husband succeeds in getting both party and leadership in this bitter power struggle in the PMK. Considering that 80 % of the followers are silently throwing their hats in favour of Dr Anbumani, the turmeric and mangoes could well be a winning combo.
Is Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi who seems to be having a running battle with the DMK government headed by MK Stalin being replaced? Sources say he may be headed to The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the foreign intelligence agency of India. This 1976 Kerala cadre IPS (hometown Bihar) wended his career path through the spooky labyrinths of the CBI and RAW as Additional Security Director, then did a brief stint in Nagaland before being appointed as the Governor of TN. Reams of news, views and ruse have been dedicated in writing about Ravi, his tempestuous relationship with Stalin, his talent for lighting fires when files were sent up for the Governors assent. Stalin’s strategy of “forgive and forget” saw him attending a Tea tete-a-tete at Raj Bhavan. The CM, making it clear hostilities to be contained, even conceded the prickly issue of K Ponmudi, Minister for Education and replaced him with Govindan Nedunchezhian popularly known as Govi Chezhiyan. Now comes the news that BJP’s big wig, former chief of staff VK Singh is on his way to TN as the new governor, to mend fences and sweeten the relationship with the DMK.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has been pounding Tamil Nadu with massive rainfall and flooding. Schools, Colleges and all public institutions are to remain closed with dire warnings of every hue…red, orange alerts to stay indoors and stay safe. But the government in its wisdom is keeping the state-run TASMAC outlets open for thirsty denizens. PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramdoss has lashed out at the TN government over this move. “Is it life-saving medicine or an essential that the public can’t live without? Is it an intrinsic part of the Dravida model to keep liquor sales open”? asked Anbumani in X. Significantly, Deputy CM, Udhayanidhi Stalin addressed the media even as the MET office warned about the heavy rain conditions to hit and assured that the DMK government was fully prepared to take on the threat of flooding. Having suffered severe losses in the past two cyclone hits with cars inundated, the public quickly resorted to parking cars on the flyover bridges….The Velachery flyover overnight turned into a parking lot. It’s another outrage that the police warned about big fines for such “parking”, adding insult to injury. YouTube podcasts on the rain caused flooding in Poes Garden, the hallowed precinct of power, politics and prestige turned smirk worthy. Ramadoss and his take on keeping TASMAC sales open as part of Dravida governance is seen as justified. Strange are the ways of “ideology” when it is business as usual.
The ongoing industrial dispute at the Samsung facility along the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway is drawing quite an attention. Since it is spearheaded by the Left-affiliated CITU (Centre for Indian Trade Union), the face-off at Samsung has elicited an extraordinary interest both at the state and national levels. The reasons are not far to seek. After all, the CITU is backed by a Left party, which is in alliance with the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu. With New Delhi giving an advisory to the Stalin government to resolve the Samsung imbroglio quickly, the multi-dimension to the face-off is not missed. The Stalin regime, in the meanwhile, managed to cobble together a tri-party pact between the State Government, management and the non-striking workers on issues such as salary hike and others. The leaders of the CITU have, however, insisted that the union must be recognised. Even as they remain steadfast on this demand, the CITU union has reportedly sounded out the CITU-affiliated workers in Chennai and other areas to donate funds to support the cause of striking workers at Samsung. This advisory on fund mobilisation has become a topic of intense discussion among the labour community in the Chennai region. Coming as it did at an inopportune time when there is a concerted effort to make India the manufacturing hub in the wake of a fast-changing global geo-political dynamics, the Samsung fracas seems to have an upsetting impact.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin finally managed to elevate his son Udhayanidhi as deputy CM. This much anticipated elevation which was planned twice before was executed without any hitch over the weekend. Father Stalin had worked on it by smoothening out ties with the Centre and PM Modi. Ever since the Centre brought out a commemorative coin to mark 100 years of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi in July, it has been easy for the regional party to reach out to Delhi. Besides, there wasn’t much resistance to the idea of giving a leg up to Udhayanidhi after the Lok Sabha results from party seniors within. In fact most of the seniors could be seen congratulating Udhayanidhi, a first term MLA. He contested the 2021 assembly elections for the first time from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency and was made a state Minister. Congress sources said an early elevation of Udhayanidhi was an indication that Stalin was not in the best of health. That is perhaps why everyone in the DMK had fallen in line. It was evident in the DMK social media timeline as it was crammed with greetings from Tamil film star netas like Kamal Haasan as well as superstars like Rajnikant, Dhanush and producers from Bollywood like Boney Kappor. Only TN BJP chief K Annamalai managed to take potshots. Underscoring the nepotism behind son’s rise in a post, Annamalai said “the sun shines for the privileged few and eclipses for the rest of the state for the last 40 months. People have now understood what the term “Vidiyal” (awakening) actually meant: Vidiyal for self, family, and the chieftains.”
In an indication of “sweetening” of ties between the DMK and the BJP, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin flagged his meeting with PM Modi as “cordial” as he raised all outstanding issues of his state with the Centre such as requesting release of the Centre’s share for Phase 2 of the jointly implemented Chennai Metro, noting that several states which initiated their metro projects after TN have already received their funds. With traditional ally Congress exploring ties with AIADMK and other alternatives, it looks like the DMK also seems to be looking for a fall back option. Stalin’s reachout comes a fortnight after FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s tough talk that the Phase II of Chennai Metro Rail was a state project and ought to be funded by the state, with the Centre chipping in with only 10% of the total cost. Of the total cost of Rs 63,246 crore, TN is expected to invest Rs 22,228 crore while the Centre Rs 7,425 crore. An additional Rs 33,593 crore was obtained through various multilateral agencies. “However, only 27% of the loan, equaling to Rs 5,880 crore, has been utilised by the state. As per the FRBM rules, up to 3% GSDP can be borrowed (by the state), and since this project is categorised as a state sector project, the loan should fall within the FRBM limit,” she said.TN cannot blame Centre over funds. Phase 1 of the Metro Rail project, which started in 2015, covered 54 km and was initiated as a central sector scheme, with 60% of the cost being covered by external loans. Stalin also urged for immediate release of Samagra Shiksha funds, currently withheld due to the non-implementation of the NEP. Interestingly, Stalin also met with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
Former DMK minister V Senthil Balaji’s release on bail from a money laundering case after 471 days in jail opens the gates for a major shakeup in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet. DMK supremo and chief minister MK Stalin was waiting eagerly for the master operator Senthil Balaji’s release so that he could give shape to his Cabinet before the DMK goes on to face the 2026 assembly polls. The CM may use the opportunity not only to elevate his son Udhayanidhi to the post of deputy Chief Minister while anointing him clearly as his designated political heir but also cut out some seniors from ministership. It appears even the senior most minister Duraimurugan, considered No 2 in the cabinet for long, may not survive the reshuffle, as he showed his displeasure openly at the elevation of Udhay as deputy CM. Senthil Balaji will be put in charge of a major ministry. A few other seniors may also be shown the door for non-performance along with the DMK senior who was handling the key portfolio of Water Resources and was tasked with following up on the Cauvery River water issue. The Dravidian stalwart Senthil who was a key figure even in AIADMK ministries made the switch at the correct time after J Jayalalithaa’s demise on sensing which way the wind was blowing. Having waited so long for a more appropriate time to press for changes, CM Stalin may wield the broom very soon.
Recently, DMK Chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin was nettled by the strong announcement by its enduring ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s (VCK) supremo Thol Thirumavalavan hinting at sharing in power. Upbeat about the planned Women’s meet where 35,000 women voters would attend and endorse the need for prohibition in TN, Thirumavalavan could sense Stalin’s discomfort and the need for fire-fighting. Hardly had this threat perception cooled down, then Stalin faced sabre-rattling from VCK’s defiant deputy secretary Aadav Arjun plain speaking about dynasty power. Said Aaadav Arjun, “In just 4 years of transition from cinema to politics, a person is ready to don the deputy CM ‘s mantle, our leader who has 40 years of political experience is more than ready for even the CM post, let alone deputy CM”. This was clearly aimed at Udhayanidhi Stalin, all set to be deputy CM. A quick rebuttal was given by A Raja, DMK MP and family strongman who said that “Looks like some new entrants to VCK are unaware of the ideological ties between us and VCK. Alliances are not mere number games…they endure due to mutual respect and speaking the same language.” A veiled threat was issued. Arjun should retract, and apologise or we may have to rethink about our alliance”. Sources say that VCK is ready to slaughter the lamb in order to keep the status quo. Talk is rife that these fires could well be planned and ignited by a major party….break and make new alliances in the run up 2026.
Even as Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin signed off his U.S. sojourn with a “goodbye USA” post, there is still a lot of speculation about the real purpose behind his nearly month-long tour across America. Though the official reason being given is that he had gone there to talk up foreign investment for the state, but both his critics and well-wishers are not convinced that the kind of business meetings that Stalin had lined up with CEOs reveal foreign investment had driven the DMK leader to camp in the U.S. Sources close to Stalin say the real purpose of the CM staying away from Chennai was that he was advised by astrologers, consulted by wife Durga, that the CM must stay away from his home, preferably travel across seven seas for the sake of his well-being and future of his politics. That is why in view of the inauspicious times, he also put off elevating son Udhayanidhi as Deputy CM as he was not sure of its impact on senior DMK leaders His critics have been panning his U.S. trip in social media as a waste of public money.
In the backdrop of the Modi government releasing a Rs 100 coin to mark birth centenary of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi on August 18 and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailing him as “titan” of Indian politics, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has always been anxious to assure his allies in the secular INDIA Bloc that he is not inching close to the BJP. Away in the U.S. since the end of last month along with his wife Durga to pitch for foreign investment in his state, Stalin has been making it a point to enjoy ordinary things like working out at a gym in San Francisco or a bike ride near Lake Michigan in Chicago. His post on X, “Evening’s calm sets the stage for new dreams”, somehow caught the attention of Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi who replied to Stalin’s post with a playful comment, “Brother, when are we cycling together in Chennai?”. Responding to Gandhi, Stalin proposed a leisurely ride to explore the heart of Chennai. “Dear brother @Rahul Gandhi, whenever you’re free, let’s ride and explore the heart of Chennai together! A box of sweets is still pending from my side. After our cycling, let’s enjoy a delicious South Indian lunch with sweets at my home.” Incidentally, Rahul will also be briefly in the U.S. — September 8-10 — to interact with the Indian diaspora as well as key business and academic figures. This will be his first visit to the U.S. since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, after the Congress made significant gains. His visit precedes PM Modi’s planned appearance at the UN General Assembly later in the month. Gandhi will visit Dallas and Washington DC during his time in the U.S.
Amid a series of electoral failures, including a hat-trick of zero wins in major elections, the CPI(M) in Bengal is facing growing internal pressure to reconsider its approach and hire an external political strategist. Alimuddin Street, party’s headquarters, has received feedback that the organization’s current state is “disgraceful” and it must consider “alternatives.” Most political parties – BJP, Cong, TMC, AAP and DMK — have from time to time roped in political strategists/consultants. For instance, the Trinamool Congress’s 2021 victory was largely credited to IPAC, led by Prashant Kishor. Likewise Congress party has benefited from strategic insights provided by Sunil Kanugolu. CPI(M) State Secretary Mohammad Salim stated that though the party cannot afford to hire a professional agency, professionalism must be increased. The party had hoped that its alliance with Congress for the Lok Sabha polls would increase its vote share. Leaders had predicted a three-way contest between Trinamool, BJP, and the Left-Congress combine. However, the reality was a two-way fight between Trinamool and BJP, leaving CPI(M) without a seat, and Congress lost key constituencies like Baharampur, where five-time MP Adhir Chowdhury was defeated by TMC’s Yusuf Pathan. Party insiders have highlighted organizational failures, including an inability to deploy agents in polling stations. Again, in the RG Kar incident relating to rape-murder of doctor, where the CPI(M) youth wing DYFI, led protests in Kolkata, the party failed to mobilize at the district levels. Also, it has alienated women voters in the state by terming the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme as “alms”.
Their dreams of seizing power or even sharing it long over, the BJP and AIADMK are fighting a turf war for second place in Tamil Nadu in a bitter manner. The language of exchange between the two parties has hit a nadir with BJP TN chief K Annamalai calling former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami a ‘frog in the well’ and an ‘ignoramus,’ among other things. Not to be outdone in verbal calisthenics, AIADMK leaders took potshots at Annamalai calling him ‘an octopus’ and ‘a leech’ and burning his effigies routinely until he left for the UK for a 3-month sabbatical to join the Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence programme. It is hard to imagine the two friendly parties in J Jayalalithaa’s time and officially allies after her death in 2016 for seven years till Sept 2023 could turn out to be such sworn rivals. The fight is for second place in TN behind the ruling DMK, which both parties are aspiring for in the 2026 assembly polls though the dynamics in those elections may be churned by the presence of superstar Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) that will be splashing its entry into state politics this month. With Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh releasing a commemorative Rs 100 coin for M Karunanidhi centenary in Chennai, the rumour mills are working overtime imagining secret pacts between BJP and DMK. As they say, anything is possible in politics, more so in TN.
A weighty book release turned into a stunned arena when Superstar Rajinikanth took the mic to speak and set out a big cat among the pigeons. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin presided over the book launch Kalaignar Enum Thai penned by his minister E Ve Velu. Rajini was at his punching best. He lauded that CM Stalin had inherited much from his founder father and learnt even more through osmosis. Winning elections was the proof. But Stalin is like a school teacher. He is comfortable with the new crop of youngsters. But 10 or 15 old students are making it hard for Stalin to go ahead with his strategies…mind you these are not “failed” students but entrenched power holders who are working for themselves. Especially an old warrior, Duraimurugan who could take on Kalaignar himself. Pat came Duraimurugan’s reply, “Like old actors with falling teeth and scrawny beards want to keep on acting. Not allowing younger talent to rise”. This old boys club proved to be the roadblock for Stalin to decide on a succession plan…anoint his son Udhayanidhi as deputy CM. Rajini shattered the perception that Udhayanidhi’s ascension was delayed by Stalin. The obvious inference, on the contrary, the son wants a clear field …an Augean stable pitted with roadblocks and challengers, urgently in need of clearing up. The applause from the cadres was as resounding as Stalin’s response. “Yes, I am aware of all this. I am vigilant and shall act, soon”. TN is now flummoxed….is Rajini, the Sutradar unfolding the play or is Stalin playing puppeteer? Rajini has flung a pebble in the DMK waters…how far will these ripples spread?
Chief Minister MK Stalin was bemused when the media accosted him about news of a possible cabinet reshuffle on the day that actor Vijay was unfurling the flag of his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The rumour may have been floated by someone in the bureaucracy to draw media attention away from the much-anticipated Vijay entry into politics, which is worrying the established parties because he is capable of commanding a 15% share of the votes straightaway, which would be mostly that of the youth. But the TN cabinet is so fixated on their former minister in jail, Senthil Balaji, being free once again to resume duties that a cabinet reshuffle has been put off until then. He had been a minister without portfolio while in jail for a while before he resigned. There were indications that the politician, a known handler of ‘funds,’ who was with the AIADMK when it was in power before successfully changing loyalties to the ruling DMK, would be released soon from jail as the PMLA case against him has made no headway. They value his silence under heavy interrogation so much that they can’t wait to see him back. The CM will be leaving this week for the USA for inviting investments as well as a health master check while naming only who will be in charge when he is away. It would be interesting to see whether that would be the senior most minister Duraimurugan or his son Udhayanidhi Stalin.
There was a refreshing change in Tamil Nadu politics involving Governor RN Ravi as chief minister MK Stalin called on him before his Independence Day ‘At Home” tea party. They met, exchanged pleasantries and interacted for a clear 10 minutes. The insider news is that the DMK feels it will need the Governor’s clearance for a few things including the continuation of Senthil Balaji as a minister in the Cabinet as soon as he is released on bail, which the top court seems likely to do soon. The ruling DMK, which will be shifting focus to the upcoming Assembly polls of 2026, would like to have a smoother working relationship with Raj Bhavan. Having announced a boycott of the Governor’s tea party in joining other DMK+ allies Congress, VCK and MDMK, the DMK backtracked when the CM made his intentions clear that he wanted to smoothen out ties. Also, since he is going to be away in the U.S. where he is headed not only to attract investments but also go through a full medical checkup and physiotherapy, he would not like to see a confrontation taking place between his ministry and the Governor in his absence. Of course, it remains a matter of speculation if he would make his son Udhayanidhi Deputy CM before he leaves or waits for the more auspicious Tamil month of Thai (from January 14, 2025) which his wife might be recommending.
The DMK, it must be acknowledged, has mastered the art of winning voters and influencing segments. Here, TASMAC, a company owned by the Tamil Nadu government, has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages. And TASMAC keeps the men coming unfailingly to quench their spiritual thirst, simultaneously filling up government coffers. TASMAC revenues keep zooming up every year, an abiding testimony to happy TN men. But the women are an unhappy lot as men save their income for slaking their thirst. And drunken behaviour had its social fallout in ill-treatment of women. But MGR cannily aimed his AIADMK welfare programmes at women, and Jayalalithaa too did likewise. AIADMK now headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) took this women’s loyalty for granted. Not anymore. After humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha EPS has been doing intense stock taking of defeat and strategic run up to 2026 Assembly election. Intense powwow with his core group has thrown up some clues as to why Camelot was lost. Meanwhile, TN chief minister MK Stalin aims to make women in his state happy, and turn them into devoted vote banks. On 15th of every month Rs 1000 is credited to the homemaker’s account by the TN government. After women, the government is focussing on youth and putting a stop to cash handouts. DMK’s Tamil Nadu Manavar (Student) Thittam Scheme has in one fell blow, the practice of cash out handouts during election time. DMK feels regular open payments from the exchequer is the best incentive for vote bank loyalty. Looks like Stalin and his party came up with creative solutions that have put EPS on the backfoot.
The Budget blues are being felt all over the country save for Bihar and Andhra which got the most favourable allocations. While it is natural that the BJP, fast learning coalition dharma, gave away dollops of financing to keep the two most important allies in good humour, it offended too many states, including those ruled by the party itself, in skewed distribution of funds. Nowhere was the antipathy towards differential treatment of friends and foes felt more than in Tamil Nadu. Crying hoarse over funds needed to mitigate the misery caused by unprecedented flooding in Chennai at the hands of Cyclone Michaung and five southernmost districts that were hit by extraordinary amount of rain in 2023, Tamil Nadu saw a measly Rs 500 crore paid before the cyclone hit as woefully inadequate to relieve the flood-hit. Doles were paid out by the government of at least Rs 1,000 per family, but everything came from state funds rather than the Centre. No wonder the ruling DMK decided to take to the streets to point out the huge prejudices in the BJP that has earmarked Tamil Nadu as the most rebellious state and fiercest critic of the Narendra Modi government. While Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Pune are to get flood relief funds, there is zilch for Chennai, the worst hit of them all last year.
Governor RN Ravi may not be everyone’s favourite former intelligence officer, but he has made a name for himself with the BJP top brass for holding the best nuisance value in an Opposition-ruled state. Now Ravi is desperately seeking an extension as his 5-year term is running out. His contention is that he served two years in Nagaland and came to Tamil Nadu capital Chennai only three years ago and so expects to stay on for two more years. He has been shuttling to New Delhi often to meet Home Minister Amit Shah who alone can recommend the extension he seeks, besides calling on PM Modi. The former CBI and IB officer’s stay in the Raj Bhavan in Guindy has been sensational, to say the least. He has picked every possible hole in all that the DMK government does and has put a spoke in the wheel of every piece of legislation passed in the Assembly. Only under the prompting of the Supreme Court has he changed a bit to be accommodative in the sense he has been recently clearing routine bills that are non-controversial. The moment he sees a red flag, as in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors that comes under the Governor’s jurisdiction, he would immediately take on the government. He has been the DMK government’s most acerbic critic and two more years of him may not be to chief minister MK Stalin’s liking. But being in the INDIA bloc, he knows the ruling BJP might like to keep their voice in the state for longer.
AIADMK chief and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) is a troubled man after the rout of his party in the Lok Sabha election. His stubborn resolve to “no alliance” with BJP is being blamed by many of his apparatchiks, and with the imminent run up to the 2026 Assembly elections, EPS is now tailgated and pressurised to take back the prodigals O Panneerselvam and VK Sasikala (Chinnamma). A chintan baithak held for brainstorming brought this demand to the fore. According to OS Manian, former party minister, the most crucial strategy is to knit a strong alliance under the AIADMK leadership like the DMK alliance. Leaks of unhappiness from VCK and Marxist Communist in the DMK combine are evident …why not break this bond? The Muukkulathor community in the southern districts form a big block of voters and they think Sasikala with 33 years of association with J Jayalalithaa will revive the charisma. OPS surprisingly won 3 lakh votes in his alliance perch with the BJP. So voices are now vehement about uniting the party to its old glory. EPS has a strong “No” to OPS but is silent on Chinammaa’s entry. With such overpowering arguments for and against restoring the status quo ante, no wonder EPS is confused and confounded. Sasikala who had announced in 2021 she was taking a political Sanyas has suddenly abandoned her sanyasi garb, put on her political makeup and announced a tour of TN in the holy month of Aadi.
India’s politicians are of the doughty, never-say-die type. Take Sasikala, a quasi-politician at best when she was J Jayalalithaa’s confidante but carries that spirit beyond her conviction for graft and a 4-year incarceration in a Bengaluru jail. Ejected from the AIADMK party at the instance of her pick for the chief minister’s job after Jaya’s death, Edappadi Palaniswami, she has decided to fight back after the AIADMK was trounced at the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls to the extent the party withdrew from the latest bypoll citing DMK monopoly over the election process. Sasikala tried to gather some forces in a recent visit south where she drew a crowd of personal loyalists. She also continues using the party flag bearing the profile of Annadurai on a black background, much to the chagrin of EPS who has been anointed Secretary of AIADMK, from the Supreme Court downwards. The idea of uniting the party and bringing back all the ‘black sheep’ – read Sasikala and O Panneerselvam – before the 2026 Assembly poll was aired at a party conference to take in the impact of Lok Sabha polls. But EPS shot it down vehemently even as he aired the view that the likes of Sasikala should stay away from active politics. He is intent on steering the party into the next state polls in what could be a do-or-die effort.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is basking in the success of his party candidate in the bypoll in Vikravandi, which came despite the government facing the heat in the aftermath of hooch deaths near the constituency. He knew it was important to get this endorsement of Dravidian rule because the ruling DMK was up against the candidate from the PMK that was part of BJP+ and testing the waters in a virtual straight contest in the absence of AIADMK. From the voting counts of 2021 and 2024 it was clear that the AIADMK cadre chose to vote for DMK rather than PMK, which vote would have been taken as one for the BJP that has been desperately seeking a break in the state. While the PMK got 32,198 votes in the Vikravandi segment in the Lok Sabha polls this year, its candidate got 56,026 votes in the assembly bypoll. While that could be taken as an indicator of the current mood and the dynamics of a straight contest, DMK’s Anniyur Siva got 1.25 lakh votes, a big swing from when the DMK won the seat only by a margin of 9,500 in 2021. AIADMK voters have chosen to go against its former ally BJP, now a bitter rival in 3-way poll politics in Tamil Nadu. The anticipated big breakthrough for BJP in the south, specifically Tamil Nadu, may take a lot more time to come.
Tamil Nadu politics may not have seen such an intensely personal battle between the heads of two state parties since the days of Karunanidhi-Jayalalithaa. Even in those days it was a battle in which the personalities rarely cursed each other in public and were quite prepared to let the other be, however contemptuous they were of each other. The same rules of engagement do not apply to K Annamalai, head of the BJP in TN and Selvaperunthagai, TNCC chief. They have been fighting tooth and nail in the media, freely cursing each other. Annamalai has taken it a step further by suing the TNCC head for libel. The verbal duel began when Annamalai said he was forced to refer to the TNCC chief as a “history sheeter” because of the challenges being thrown at him for inducting into BJP some persons with criminal antecedents. It appears that Selvaperunthagai was once detained under the Goondas Act and has several serious cases pending against him even as he jumped across five parties before hitting it big time with the Congress, which has some importance in TN thanks to its ally in the ruling party DMK. Does the Congress have a party chief in any state who has gone to jail charged with murder and jailed under Goondas Act, Annamalai asked. The duel has stirred media interest at a time when TN politics has had a dry run.
Is the accomplished Tamil film director PA Ranjit who has given a string of hits like Attakathi, Sarpatta Parambarai, Natchathiram Nagargiradhu to Kaala planning to enter politics? His every directorial and script ventures have brought the lives of the underprivileged and exploited to heights of cinematic brilliance. This young man is idolised by both the class and the mass for his sincere and creative genius. The just released trailer of Thangalan, a film on the Kolar gold mine and how the British exploited and whipped the tribal locals to mine the ore has already drawn a wave of admiration. Suddenly, Ranjit’s hero and ideological guru, Armstrong, the Tamil Nadu president of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party was brutally murdered. Ranjit mourned the killed leader as his own brother and silently took part in the 8 hour procession before Armstrong was interred. A potential violent aftermath was prevented, largely because the cadres went silent and peaceful. It was then that Ranjit took on the ruling DMK party and asked several insinuating questions. “Is this how Dalits are treated? Are they just vote banks? The DMK squirmed even as Mayawati took them on about the incident and the breakdown of law and order in TN. Suddenly a chorus of voices egged Ranjit to take the late Armstrong’s leadership post, it seemed that Ranjit too was veering towards this. Another chorus convinced him that cinema and politics may seem as the perfect alchemy but Ranjit had years to pass and miles to go before folding the director’s chair. For now, Ranjit is keenly awaiting the release of Thangalan. Will he strike gold?
DMK leader RS Bharati known for his acerbic wit, often packaged as motivational twits was presiding over the July 3 shrill decibel DMK student wing protest against NEET, when his usual foot-in-the-mouth talent surfaced, socking and shocking the audience and media. “Even a dog gets a BA degree now,” lambasted lawyer Bharati. “We are not doctors or lawyers because of our privileged caste status, or Sanathanam or Gothram. We owe our education and status to the Dravidian alms (pichai).” Even as BJP’s TN chief K Annamalai raised a volley of protests against Bharati’s dog label insult, the damage control machinery of the DMK moved fast to assuage feelings. As Bharati deftly took his foot out, he spewed another bout of venom on the educated particularly the Brahmins whose sole aim in life was to exploit the lower castes, deny them entry to development. NEET was one of the most unshakable barriers. Bharati’s message on X put all in perspective. “A particular high bred caste prevented people like us, the downtrodden, from getting educated, even access to education. So what heights we have achieved is clearly the largesse of the Dravidian ideology.”
The latest news that Tamil Nadu’s BJP chief K Annamalai has been chosen to study International Politics at the Oxford University for three months is making waves both in the Tamil Nadu BJP and the DMK circles. Many are reading between the lines of his study assignment as he goes in September and will be back only in the New Year. Reportedly, many within the BJP are eyeing his seat albeit even if it’s a short reign. Ah, the Teacher’s pet is going away, with any number of carpetbaggers of the club sashaying in to lead the charge of the fight brigade. Annamalai is truly maha kicked by such an honour to be one among 12 international people to be invited by Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence programme. He is also going away as the big bang state Assembly election will be in 2026. Now with the BJP tasting blood in the Lok Sabha polls, and TN promises to be the coveted catch if it happens in 2026 – a BJP win will reset Dravidian politics. For the two well entrenched Dravidian parties fending off the major offensive led by Annamalai will be the real challenge.
During the late J Jayalalithaa’s governance, Chennai’s Poes Garden was literally the epicentre of power. Nothing moved unless the diktat came from the iconic residence of the late CM, ably assisted by her confidante VK Sasikala Natarajan, a power centre in her own right. Sasikala, in near oblivion after her jail term has again surfaced and hit the headlines. She held a press meet at her imposing residence just across JJ’s home. Without much preamble, the lady announced “I have decided to get back my place and my party in electoral politics”. MGR and Jayalalithaa gave everything to build the AIADMK as the country’s third largest political party. But it has been sadly led into the worst setback by people with no vision, only greed and selfishness. She further added that she watched this debacle silently, and patiently like how “MGR taught me”. Both my leaders never used caste as the cornerstone…I too profess no caste. Making Edappadi CM when she was sent to jail was the beginning of the party’s downfall. She is determined to “free TN from the monstrous clutches of the DMK, unite AIADMK and bring back the glory. The rumbles and muttered exchanges are now growing louder. As also speculation was the message from the BJP high command to Sasikala to use her special talent to bring the broken bits together? For BJP her rise will be akin to killing two birds with a stone —EPS and DMK.
Thirty nine year old Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai proves yet again that he is an enigma, hard to decode and dogged in his efforts, untiring and unbeatable. Stepping into the BJP in 2019, and getting leadership in 2021, his mercurial rise within the party is astounding. Within four years he proved his mettle of building the BJP presence from around 4% to 11.26 % vote share in the just concluded Lok Sabha election. His detractors and rivals were happy when he was summoned to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi and his team. His defeat in Coimbatore must have been a big sting. Happy that he would be put to pasture in a cabinet berth and vacate TN’s hot seat as the leader. The three aspirants, Tamilisai Soundararajan, Vanathi Srinivasan and Nayinar Nagendran were already drumming up support to move into Annamalai’s post. Even as he sat in the last row when the PM gave his motivational sermon his strong opponents DMK and AIADMK leaders were trying to read his body language. Surprise and shock was writ large on his party colleagues, his antagonists and cadres when he flew back to TN thereby signalling that he had high command’s full backing. It was not surprising as Annamalai has single-handedly cobbled a BJP presence in TN, worked 24/7, walked padayatra, taken on the ruling party on many issues and remained politically significant. Above all, in a Dravidam state alternating between the DMK and AIADMK, he brought relevance to Hindutva and the BJP. He may have ruffled many feathers both within his party and opposition but he is here to stay for a long haul.
It’s a peculiar position to be in. It is a resounding win, no doubt. How to convert this into a gainful one for Tamil Nadu? Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin must be pondering over this. The relationship between the DMK government and the BJP isn’t cordial to say the least. The big electoral victory of the DMK-led alliance in the recently-concluded Parliamentary elections is surely a big booster to the Stalin-led DMK. Yet, New Delhi has to be onboard to make Tamil Nadu a trillion dollar economy. Coming as it did against this backdrop, the elevation of Kanimozhi as the leader of the Parliamentary party of DMK appears to be an interesting strategic move by the Stalin party. For one, it sort of signals the transition – rather arrival – of GenNext in the party. For another, it is also speculated as a strategic initiative to build a long-term bridge with the political establishments across the canvass in New Delhi. She seems to have a good equation with Amit Shah. Also, Stalin has to be watchful of TDP’s Chandra Babu Naidu who is a pro-reformist. This time around, he is not so much angling for party representation in the Centre but financial packages and investments to his state. This is where Stalin must be missing the experienced senior Maran (Murasoli Maran), who played a perfect bridge between the party and the rulers in New Delhi. For Stalin who has won single-handedly elections for the government it is almost like running with the hare and hunting with hounds.
Finally, the Tamil Nadu chief minister taking a leaf out of his father’s strategy decided to appoint his half-sister Kanimozhi, who was elected from the Thoothukudi Lok Sabha constituency, as the DMK’s parliamentary leader. She replaced the Sriperumbudur MP T R Baalu. For now she is happy. It may be known TR Baalu has been running this post for decades and was expecting another go. Even his son, finance minister TRB Rajaa in Stalin’s government, was keen to move to Delhi. Meanwhile Stalin’s wife Durga has made it clear that son Udhayanidhi should be anointed Deputy CM and so that he can prove his mettle in controlling the party and the government in the run up to 2026 assembly elections. Strangely enough Kalaignar Karunanidhi faced the same family mutiny when the UPA was in power. His sons Alagiri and Stalin were at loggerheads over who would head the party and move into Kalaignar’s chair. Wily politician/ tactician that he was, he got Alagiri into the central cabinet of the UPA in 2009 as Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers, and eased Stalin’s claim to the TN Gaddi. For now Stalin has bought peace on both fronts. Now for the anointment of his son as deputy CM post.
The sigh of relief in the DMK may have been loud enough as the results in the Lok Sabha polls restored the national balance somewhat. When opposing the BJP tooth and nail in the state and broadcasting their aversion to the party nationally in cutting speeches by CM Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi, the DMK understood that a BJP back in power and in full control of Parliament may have tried to play tricks. The unspoken fears were about the Centre beginning to needle the top brass of the party by using the federal investigating agencies further after their efforts to break Senthil Balaji as a key money maker and funds mover in both Dravidian parties (he was earlier with AIADMK) have not succeeded. DMK’s strategy to counter the BJP where it hurt was to ensure that the state chief K Annamalai was beaten. It can be revealed that the ruling party was unusually generous with purse strings to bring about a favourable result in Coimbatore. Had Annamalai succeeded he would have stood a good chance of being drafted into the Union ministry where, with a post in the Finance Ministry, he could have aimed for settling scores with the DMK brass. Of course, the mood may have altered slightly after the results, and it is unlikely that the top leaders will become subjects of interest to financial investigations any time soon.
In Tamil Nadu, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) is seen as leading the most routed party that MGR had built as an iconic political behemoth which was lovingly sustained by J Jayalalithaa till her untimely death. His adamant stance to go it alone and not have an alliance with the BJP saw his party AIADMK being nearly wiped out in the Lok Sabha polls. Edappadi claims that he had the 2026 Assembly elections as his pole star and did not want to give up the party’s unique identity. In a tear jerking letter to his cadres he said, “I am addressing this to you all my dear friends …I don’t know how to express my gratitude to you all for working so hard for the election. Our party is a historic institution built by MGR…a temporary eclipse has been cast on us.” He says that the subversion of power, money and fake promises by the winning side is the sole reason why his party lost. In a first, his party’s candidates lost deposits in seven seats. Looking at AIADMK’s vote share of 20.46% vs the DMK’s 26.93%, it seems Edappadi has not lost his way to end up in political oblivion. But with BJP’s surprise showing at 11.24%, it is logical to think that if EPS and BJP had fought the elections together it could have been a win-win situation for both. The ‘wise analysts’ say it’s better for him to mend fences with the old faithful’s of Jayalalithaa –Sasikala, OPS and TTV — and then the scattered factions can rise like the Phoenix. Does Edappadi have the diplomatic elan and charm offensive of the late MGR? Not quite.
Ahead of the last day of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha across 57 seats including Varanasi from where PM Narendra Modi will be contesting for the third time, there is a quiet confidence in the ruling side about the number of seats the BJP will get. Yes there are some numbers to mull ahead of the Exit Poll. Top party bosses are apparently comfortable with reports that the BJP itself would be comfortably placed even as reports indicated that its allies in Maharashtra and Bihar are not able to deliver on candidates and perform just as well. It is being said the BJP is tipped to get 315 seats. Party sources said it may seem the BJP may have wasted its seats on the allies. BJP feels in Maharashtra the NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction does not seem keen on continuing in the NDA for the assembly polls. It is felt Ajit may merge his faction with his uncle Sharad Pawar for the assembly polls. Again, though PM Modi has gone all out backing the breakaway Shiv Sena group headed by Eknath Shinde, the ruling Sena may not come out in the top because of the choice of candidates. Performance of alliance partners could drag BJP in Bihar too. RJD’s pitched campaign against JD(U) for Nitish Kumar’s flip-flop could hit some JD(U) candidates. Chirag Paswan’s skewed candidate selection has hit the NDA image in the state. It is for this reason that BJP leadership has begun to talk about doing very well in West Bengal and Odisha. Of course, PM Modi’s confidence to form the next government has not stopped the Congress leadership from staking claiming to form the government in Delhi. Meanwhile, in a copycat act of the TMC, the DMK also chose to stay away from the I.N.D.I.A bloc meet called on June 1.
Tamil Nadu’s never-ending fight for river waters has taken several new turns in recent times. Kerala, once a regular supplier of water including in diverting west-flowing water east to TN through the Mullaperiyar dam, has started placing its own priorities first in applying for a new Mullaperiyar dam to replace the limestone wall dam built 128 years ago. Kerala has also been charged with building a dam across the Silanthi River, a tributary of the Amaravati that may lead to less water flow into the Amaravathi Dam that serves Tamil Nadu. Badgered by the Opposition and an ally like MDMK, chief minister MK Stalin swung into action to activate the state’s appeal process in the Cauvery water management authority. He also shot off a letter on the Silanthi River being tapped by Kerala, an issue the state may have raised earlier but was brought into the open only by Edappadi Palaniswami raising it in the media. The State is being blamed for keeping quiet due to I.N.D.I.A bloc coalition compulsions as both the Congress that rules Karnataka and the LDF that rules Kerala is part of the umbrella national coalition fighting the polls. With Karnataka hell bent on a dam in Mekedatu across the Cauvery and Kerala wanting a new Mullaperiyar dam, the DMK supremo Stalin is between a rock and a hard place.
DMK top brass led by Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has been in a huddle at party headquarters mulling party’s options in the country’s polity with the kind of Lok Sabha results that 2024 would throw up on June 4. Two things are really worrying the DMK — one is the indication that Congress may not be in a position to form government at the Centre. Which means the party will have to explore post poll realignment. Probably explore the idea of having a good working relationship with the NDA. Besides, the regional party it is being said has also been very miffed with the way it did not get to play any national role in the I.N.D.I.A Bloc in North India. The DMK because of TN minister Udayanidhi Stalin’s utterances against sanatana dharma which is generally considered synonymous with Hinduism in rest of India became a sticking point even for secular parties like RJD and SP in the Hindi belt. So much stigma was attached to the DMK that the party was not even invited to big I.N.D.I.A events in Mumbai and Patna. Responding to Stalin’s worry about lack of role in the North, a senior AICC functionary described it as a “bahana, an excuse.” What Stalinji is trying to do is looking for an excuse like Mamata to get out of the I.N.D.I.A front. Just as TMC is talking about outside support now, so that it can join hands with Modi-led NDA if PM needs support, the DMK is also looking for an excuse.” Meanwhile TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai who is an MLA has begun talking about strengthening the Congress independent of the support of Dravidian parties — taking a leaf out of state BJP leader K Annamalai. The buzz is Stalin wants to advance state polls and install his son as CM. Also sister Kanimozhi is keen to head the Parliamentary team.
Chief Minister Stalin who may play a leading role in I.N.D.I.A bloc negotiations in the event of a swing away from NDA in the polls is in his own comfort zone in Tamil Nadu. He gave up his Deputy PM ambitions long ago when even his father did not project him nationally in the UPA. He is content to be the regional satrap who can dictate terms with the largest chunk of seats to I.N.D.I.A after the Congress. An internal survey done by his party shows DMK+ can win up to 32 seats by big margins and 5-6 more in tight contests against AIADMK, which they believe was the closer rival and not the BJP in most of the 39 seats. The party believes it could lose one or two seats and might be just behind the 38-1 performance of 2019 as very high turnouts in a couple of seats has thrown up hints about others gaining a bit. No other regional leader can provide such a chunk of MPs to the I.N.D.I.A bloc. Stalin is aware he can use the clout of numbers to demand prime ministries if it comes to government formation and he might move his sister and cousin Dayanidhi Maran to the Centre and concentrate the party power at home while tending to his health. If the status quo prevails, Stalin would still be in his comfort zone in his State.
Hounded by social media critics, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin dashed back to Chennai on cutting short his stay in Kodaikanal by at least two days. Mocked for staying in salubrious hill station weather while the rest of the state was being roasted in extraordinary conditions of high heat and worse humidity, Stalin called for a chartered flight to take him back from Madurai on May 2. He had gone on a break to one of Tamil Nadu’s two best known summer resorts, with sentiment guiding him to the more southern queen of hill stations as it had proved lucky for him after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in which his DMK+ alliance that he led won 38 of 39 seats. He called for an emergency meeting in the state capital on May 3 to take stock of the harsh summer conditions and what the state could do to mitigate the plight of the people. Tamil Nadu has a history of CMs going to hill stations with J Jayalaalithaa known to camp for months in her favourite tea estate in Kodanad in the Nilgiris. But she had to withstand much mockery then even though she was running the administration from there at a camp office. With Stalin trying his hand at putting on the Kodaikanal Golf Club’s greens, the noise on social media became louder, forcing him to take a call on the summer blues of the people.
Post April 19, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin had an onerous task of getting voting feedback from every constituency, in keeping with his clarion call — 40 on 40 for DMK and its allies. Satisfied about the outcome, Stalin then set off on April 29 with wife Durga and family to cool off in Kodaikanal, the hill resort de rigueur for the angrez. But this powerful and wealthy family could have chosen any ritzy global getaway, so why Kodai? Wags and watchers are busy with superstition theories. Post 2021 Assembly polls, Stalin sought this same hill station even as the DMK supremacy news wafted in. Whatever the rationalist ideology, agnostic posture, superstition is rife among most Indians — especially politicians who reach out to vaastu experts, numerologists and astrologers surreptitiously. It is recalled that family pointsman son-in-law V Sabareesan predicted a huge victory margin in 2021. This election, his ministers have concerns of a different kind; Stalin has warned that any plunge in vote share would directly hit the minister in charge of that constituency. So they are speculating that the CM could be planning axing some names, after feedback from the oracles. Stalin is busy assuring his coterie that no such exigency may arise as he expects DMK to sweep the polls this time too. So where does this leave the BJP? Psephologists have different stories to say. The day of reckoning is June 4.
Probably, no candidate, no constituency and no state has made this kind of a news in previous elections as has Coimbatore in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections . With reams of reviews and bundles of money wagered and spent, Coimbatore has stood out like a starburst in the very first phase. The moment meteor Malai, Annamalai was named as BJP’s candidate, all six assembly segments went into a tizzy. Sulur, Palladam, Kavundanpalayam are seen as pocket boroughs of the DMK and its alter ego, the AIADMK. Singanallur, Coimbatore North and CBE South are distinct urban strongholds, with overriding corporates and educated elite, and these three segments worked non-stop for Annamalai — 28,000 volunteers, vetted and conscripted worked for him. DMK, on its part, convinced its ally CPM to move over, and allow its candidate Ganapati Rajkumar to contest against Annamalai. Despite all the hype, the ground reality was that the BJP had very few booth level managers/workers, they had to “import” rank outsiders. Interestingly, all opinion polls and surveys seem to be specially focussed on Annamalai’s Coimbatore constituency and the entire state. And most of them indicate Annamalai has an edge but there is no gain saying the fact that he has emerged as a dominant force in Tamil Nadu politics. This David has age on his side so can vanquish the aging Goliaths to eventually emerge the victor.
It is a big question mark but that does not preclude West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee making it categorical that her party will be playing a significant role if I.N.D.I.A front is voted to power. In her recent poll campaigns, Didi dismissed the claims of NDA winning 400 plus Lok Sabha seats by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. She stated that the claims seemed to be a reflection of nervousness of both leaders. Expressing her assessment of the political landscape, Banerjee emphasized her belief in the resilience of Opposition parties against the ruling BJP. According to her calculations, Bengal goes to TMC, AAP will be the majority in Punjab, Samajwadi Party will garner maximum seats in Uttar Pradesh and DMK will clinch Tamil Nadu. Denying the claims of exiting the I.N.D.I.A front, Didi made it categorical that she’s the one who coined the alliance name. However, TMC supremo criticised the CPI-M and Congress alliance in the state in opposing TMC Is indirectly helping the BJP. Banerjee claimed that the alliance between the two opposition parties is splitting the anti-BJP vote, thereby benefiting the saffron camp. It is for this reason she did not attend several I.N.D.I.A. meetings but maintained relationships by sending her representatives. In her campaign speech, Didi has been driving home the point that if I.N.D.I.A front forms the government then they will do away/relook into NRC, Citizenship Amendment Act and Uniform Civil Code. The Alliance will repeal all discriminatory laws implemented by the BJP.
The BJP, which is heading a non-DMK, non-AIADMK bloc in Tamil Nadu and is contesting directly from 19 seats, including Coimbatore from where its state BJP chief K Annamalai is contesting, hopes to make good electoral inroads in the Dravidian heartland. With opinion polls indicating that the BJP could spring a surprise in the southern state, the buzz is that there is an unofficial tie-up between the DMK and the AIADMK to defeat the outlier BJP. In fact, the two Dravidian parties are so alarmed by the rise of Annamalai they are even uniting to defeat him in his Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency. Coimbatore is also the home ground of AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami. Which is why it does seem odd to see the AIADMK join hands with the DMK to fix Annamalai. It is being said a sinister project to defeat Annamalai in Coimbatore is being executed by Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin’s son-in-law and businessman V Sabareesan and minister’s son Udhayanidhi. Sabareesan has reportedly been making multiple trips to Coimbatore. Of course, the eagerness of DMK’s first family to pin down Annamalai in Coimbatore has not helped much. Annamalai has been busy traveling to other constituencies and all over the state. Opinion polls are indicating that the BJP-NDA could win four to six seats in Tamil Nadu. Non-BJP leaders concede that PM Modi has been giving a lot of attention to the state; he has visited Tamil Nadu over eight times since the beginning of 2024. Modi’s visits are naturally bound to yield results.
After the announcement of the elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited Tamil Nadu over eight times…more to follow. His stormtroopers Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Amit Shah and L Murugan have literally camped in TN. But why is Rahul Gandhi not sparing his time and attention to this important state, with a history of a heritage relationship with DMK over the years? After much surprise expressed by Congress cadres, Rahul is scheduled to visit TN on April 12, that too an afternoon sortie in Tirunelveli where he campaign for the I.N.D.I.A front candidate, and a cameo role with Stalin at Coimbatore, the current epicenter of the electoral battle in TN. Even his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too has not bothered to visit TN where so many women candidates are in the fray. Modi’s roadshows and lavish attention garnering campaign meetings in TN has intrigued all political watchers. Of course, it’s a valiant effort by a PM to thunder with a third alternative to the Dravidian Monopoly, and this concentrated focus is already showing optics of a significant rise in the BJP presence. So it is logical that Rahul and Congress go all out to counter the BJP rise. Newly minted TN Congress chief Selva Perundagai claimed that if he had pressurized, both Rahul and Kharge would have camped in TN. “But why waste our efforts, when Stalin has guaranteed that his campaign is more than enough”. Is Rahul over-depending on DMK?
When the former Governor of Telangana and Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan decided to contest South Chennai seat on a BJP ticket against the DMK incumbent Tamizhachi Thangapandian it made for hot news and speculation. The general question DMK and other political parties were asking was: Why did she come out of the Raj Bhavan? Unable to hold back, Tamilisai Soundararajan finally lashed out at her opponents asking “Why are you people so focussed on my getting out of Raj Bhavan? Why does it bother you? Ok…let me tell you. If Kanimozhi can get out of Tihar jail and contest elections, I can too. At least I did not come from Tihar.” And this canard that BJP lacks candidates has been countered by her asking, why should Kanimozhi stand from Tuticorin or Dayanidhi Maran from south Chennai? Does the DMK lack suitable candidates? “I have come out to the streets to campaign for my leader, for myself, for the kind people of south Chennai and make a mark. And mark my words, I am going to talk about every act of omission and commission of the DMK, expose their greed and chicanery. Try and stop me,” thundered Soundararajan in her election rally. Oh! Boy, this lady has courage and chutzpah.
For over 30 years, Radhika Saratkumar reigned as the iconic diva of both big screen and TV. Her very first film, Kizhakke Pogum Rail (East bound train) broke all records for a newcomer. Now the question being asked will this train Vadakke Poguma, (go North) to Parliament, New Delhi? Sixty-one year old Radhika herself may admit that the course she has to run is trying, tough and treacherous in the Virudhunagar constituency. She of the smash Tamil serial hit, Chithi would definitely resort to homegrown nostalgia in her stump speeches. The perception is that brand BJP plus Saratkumar( her superstar husband) plus Radhika’s enduring film popularity, her numerous product endorsements , her profitable Radan pictures , and her woman next door gharelu image could resonate with Virudhunagar voters. But, Congress’s Manik Tagore is no push over. He won the seat twice out of his three outings. As for Vijay Prabhakar, son of the late “Captain” Vijaykant, jointly fielded by AIADMK and DMDK, may reap the sympathy votes and huge popularity of his father. But the ground reality here is totally heart wrenching — lakhs are jobless with the predominant fire cracker and matchbox industry falling on hard times hit by cheap Chinese products. The second highest job provider is the weaving industry which faces the desperation and angst of 60,000 jobless. Radhika has very little time to scope her constituency and even less time to project what she can do for her electorate.
The Carnatic music world is caught in a huge controversy. The decision of The Music Academy of Madras to confer the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi title on vocalist TM Krishna has not gone well with veteran artistes and music patrons. And social media has gone on overdrive. The latest to jump into it is Karnataka Classical Music Confederation Trust (KCMCT), which has sent out a strong missive to The Music Academy. Krishna, the rebel Carnatic musician has always been courting controversy for his stand. KCMCT in a communication to The Music Academy said “The recent decision to confer recognition upon an individual whose actions have caused considerable anguish among our fraternity of musicians is a matter of profound consternation. We are compelled to express our dismay at the choice to honour an individual whose conduct and pronouncements have engendered substantial discord and disunity among Karnataka musicians.” Krishna, after winning the Magsaysay award, has positioned himself as a social reformer. The Academy became his instant target. Accusing it of caste bias and discriminatory practices, Krishna boycotted its festival for several seasons. Aghast at its choice for Sangita Kalanidhi title, RaGa sisters (Ranjani-Gayatri) have chosen to pull out of the December festival of the Academy. Since then, the opposition to Krishna is escalating by the day with political parties such as DMK and BJP pitching in with their views. By honouring a rebel, the Academy has now managed to create an army of rebels. The tune set by the Academy headed by N Murali, owner of The Hindu group of publications, appears to have gone woefully awry. A lot of jarring notes are emanating from the Carnatic music world.
It is now amply clear that career diplomat and EAM S Jaishankar is not averse to playing a political role. At least that is what he has done ever since the Katchatheevu issue has come to occupy the centre stage of politics. It got the EAM to hold a presser, and explain how India gave away an island to Sri Lanka as it did not care much for fishing communities in Tamil Nadu. It was a follow-up on a RTI reply to Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai. However much of the political idea to pitch the vexed Katchatheevu issue into the centre -stage of Lok Sabha elections in the southern state is being credited to Jaishankar; Tamil Nadu goes to polls — first round — on April 19. Jaishankar’s suggestion that the party must focus on how Congress PMs displayed indifference about Katchatheevu Island and gave away Indian fishermen’s rights despite legal views to the contrary was liked by PM Modi and the TN BJP unit. Jaishankar pointed out how Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi had dubbed Katchatheevu, given to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of a maritime boundary agreement, as a “little island” and “little rock.” In May 1961, Nehru had written, ‘I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claim to it.” Oddly, the DMK has been raising the issue in the Parliament and Jaishankar points out how he has written to the TN CM at least 21 times.
When he started his Lok Sabha poll campaign from Trichy, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin was intent only on radiating confidence and positivity that the DMK would remain the Cock of the Walk. But cannily, he also commissioned bi-weekly surveys through his son-in-law, V Sabareesan’s poll outfit. The latest survey results throws up some uncomfortable truth — BJP stands in second in some constituencies. This has instilled fear denting the super confidence that victory was already DMK’s. Stalin shared this survey finding with AIADMK to trigger a concerted action plan. The BJP has galvanised its star candidates like K Annamalai, Tamilisai Soundararajan, L Murugan, Nainaar Nagendran and insisted it’s ally partner leaders OPS , TTV and others too face the electorate as candidates. The only exception has been Dr Anbumani Ramadoss; he has fielded his wife Dr Sowmiya. A reliable source says Anbumani is determined to get into Parliament on a reserved seat. There is also talk that BJP is using saam, daam, dand, bhed to ensure its success. The cost of acquiring TN voters has gone very high. But like in all high value races, misinformation/disinformation is seen as the ploy in confusing the opponent. Stalin is said to have given whip talk to his followers that they should leave nothing to chance, but use their poll armoury to full extent.
BJP has fielded former Governor of Telangana and Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan from South Chennai seat against DMK incumbent Tamizhachi Thangapandian. Tamil is the pivot that strikes, in the names of these two formidable ladies and incidentally both are 62-year old. So, what’s special about DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian (her name and its significance is in itself an oeuvre in Dravidam) who was elected in 2019? Thamizhachi has impeccable credentials — highly educated, taught English in Chennai’s Queen Mary’s College, author, lyricist , orator, sister of DMK heavyweight Minister Thangam Thennarasu and wife of late Thangapandian also an influencer of the party. Is this fight seen as Plebe Vs Patrician? Why was Tamilisai chosen to take on this high profile incumbent Thamizhachi? According to a media analyst, the ex- Governor, who lost to Kanimozhi in 2019, is a nimble and sagacious politician…she may appear the perfect foil for a sophisticate Thamizhachi, but in terms of easy touch points Tamilisai is adept at spontaneous camaraderie. On a realpolitik level, South Chennai is a middle class bastion that has seen enough of Dravidian rhetoric, and may be ready for a change given the BJP wave in the South riding on Modi’s charisma and K Annamalai’s padayatra. South Chennai could be a litmus test for BJP’s entry. Already there are references to a cult Tamil film dance competition in Vanjikottai Valiban where late Padmini and Vyjayanthimala compete in a nimbly choreographed dance. And the hero applauds, “Sabaash, Sariyana potti (in Tamil it means wow, a good fight)”.
Sixty-two year old Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan is undoubtedly the acknowledged heroine of the election “manch”. And with good reason. The full time Governor of Telangana and the stand in Governor for Puducherry put in her papers and walked out of Raj Bhavan to wade in the heat and dust of the ensuing elections. She is cautious though, amidst speculations that are pinging around like a gaming parlour. Having lost to DMK’s Kanimozhi in Tuticorin in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this colourful BJP personality was written off as a political power, even as she was made the Governor of Telangana, where she found herself in a stormy environment when K Chandrasekhar Rao’s party Bharat Rashtra Samiti was the face of power. But Governor Soundararajan could tenaciously hold her own, in fact it was obvious that she honed her power skills even as she was given additional charge of Puducherry. But close aides could see through her hankering to get into active politics, not be a figurehead representative of the BJP even as she saw the rise and rise of K Annamalai as TN BJP chief. Her resignation made waves and now the buzz is rife …is she a key Prachara Beerangi (Tamil for cannon) or is she contesting from Tuticorin or S. Chennai or no surprise, Puducherry? Watch this space for the role of her career… Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan … she of the colourful bold print sarees, flowers in her hair and dazzling smile.
It was a political storm that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi provoked little realising that it could risk hurting Hindu sentiments. His flippant use of “Shakti”– an evolved stream of worship in sanatana dharma — at a political platform where DMK leaders, who are not sympathetic to the Hindu cause, were present came as a political surprise. It was precisely for this reason that SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, who comes from the Ram Mandir belt, kept away from this “anti-sanatana dharma” forum in Mumbai– he didn’t want to be seen sharing space with “anti- Hindu” Tamil leaders like MK Stalin or VCK leader. Looks like Rahul imagined he could attack Hinduism, and get away with his word play on “shakti”. What he did not realise was that an alert BJP team would pick every word he had uttered against Hindus. The interaction with a Christian pastor in Kanyakumari during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and deprecatory references to Hinduism made two years ago was one such gem .The pastor is heard telling Rahul,”Jesus is the real god, not Shakti” in the clip. It came in handy as PM Modi lambasted Rahul as a person who had scant respect for sanatan dharma. From Jagtial in Telangana to Shimoga in Karnataka, Modi tore into Rahul’s remarks at his rallies and personalised his fight against Shakti. “For me, every daughter, mother, and sister is a personification of Shakti. To those who are raising their voices against Shakti, I accept your challenge. I am willing to sacrifice my life for Shakti,” he added. Modi, who clearly reached out to 49 % women voters through a series of governance steps, has now sharpened the battle for their attention with “shakti”.
Makkal Needhi Mayyam (MNM) party founder and Kollywood’s abiding Ulaganayagan, Kamal Haasan and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin must have heaved a sigh of relief after their electoral deal. Both came out smelling roses. Even as Stalin’s tightrope act for seat sharing with his alliance partners was swinging like a suspension bridge, his deal with Kamal made headlines for all the right views. Imagine having a star campaigner like Kamal doing the rounds for the DMK among a cinema-fixated populace. From 2017, Kamal had posted his political ambitions on Twitter (now X). So when he launched MNM in 2018, fans and followers flocked to him. Kamal oozing self-assurance was happy hosting Bigg Boss and the laurels/money the reality show fetched…striding two worlds, multitasking, a talent many a Kollywood star has mastered. MGR embodied flamboyance, now seen as a Rajinikanth brand. Kamal is a thespian of the Shivaji Ganesan lineage. In 2019, MNM created a loud buzz, with a vote share of 3.7%. But in 2021, Kamal lost to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan and his party fared poorly. Then came the huge film blockbuster Vikram and Kamal’s swag and self-confidence shot up. Enough to reach out to Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Is Kamal happy to enter the Parliament via Rajya Sabha? Will he overtake his close friend and cinema rival, who turned back at the starting line? Only time will tell.
To clear all the haggling over seat sharing with allies, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has made a generous gesture of allotting the one extra seat over and above the negotiated quota to each party that was clamouring for it. He told his negotiating panel headed by TR Baalu to go ahead and give the extra seat to Congress, which was asking for 9 seats, one over the offer of 8. Kamal Haasan will get two seats rather than just one for himself and the VCK will now get 3 seats instead of 2. The seat sharing among the DMK+ alliance will be tied up by Friday (Mar 8). This comes after the Congress got a bit heated up over being offered only 8 seats though it had won 9 of 10 seats allotted in 2019. Similarly, Kamal had indicated that he would feel sorely done if he went back to his party with just one seat that he may stand in himself. The VCK has been clamouring for 3 and that too has been granted now. The Communist parties that have been given two each may be told to be happy with that offer while the DMK+ may not offer an extra seat to MDMK, which might get one Rajya Sabha nomination instead. All’s well that ends well might well be the emotion on display as the DMK+ gets ready for the poll battle of 2024.
The DMK-Congress alliance that has stood the test of time is on the point of cracking up now. A wordy duel between a DMK and Congress representatives over seat sharing ended in both parties coming to breaking point with a deadline of March 7 given to the DMK now for acceding to Congress demands or face a rupture in ties. The DMK is determined not to let the Congress dictate which 9 seats will be given to them but would like to have a say in which candidates Congress will pick as there is some resistance to Karti Chidambaram and Jothimani getting seats. Ajoy Kumar of the Congress left fuming after the meeting and seems determined to inform his high command that the AIADMK offer of 12 seats and campaign funding looks attractive if the DMK offer does not match expectations. Chief Minister MK Stalin was closeted with his senior colleagues on Tuesday (Mar 5) morning at the DMK HQ, but then they had no inkling then that the Congress would get shrill in the seat sharing talks that they had with TR Baalu and his poll seats panel. The issues could get sorted out at the highest levels if any of the senior Gandhis intervene in the seat sharing process, otherwise a 20-year alliance seems to be at risk.
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