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AIADMK & DMK gear up for face-off in local body elections in TN

elections in India

In Tamil Nadu, Dravidian majors (parties) are getting ready yet again to contest in the local body elections of the nine newly carved districts in the state. The face-off would be in the next crucial election immediately after the Assembly polls held in April. Local body elections form the third level of elections in India after the parliament and assembly elections. The political parties will compete for local body posts in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Tirupathur, Ranipet, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi.

In this regard, AIADMK wants to bounce back after a crushing defeat. And, DMK wants to continue its momentum gained in the assembly election and bag as many seats as it can.

On June 22, a Supreme Court Vacation Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Aniruddha Bose directed the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission to conduct the local body elections in the nine new districts and to declare results before September 15.

The order from the Apex court said, “We grant an extension of time to complete the entire election process, including publication/notification of election schedule and the result thereof before September 15, 2021, as the constitutional mandate to conduct elections in a time-bound manner.”

Also Read: A peek into by-polls in India-Can there be a way around them?

The nine new districts in TN were carved out from existing four districts. The elections to their local bodies were to be held before December 2019 after completion of the delimitation process, for which they have now been given an extension. Political parties in the state have already started preparations. On Monday, DMK already held district secretary-level meetings at the party state headquarters in which Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin participated.

In the Monday-meeting, Stalin exhorted the party district secretaries to chalk out a plan. He intended and asserted that the DMK alliance should win all the seats, giving no room for the opposition. DMK’s alliance partner is Congress. The grand old party of India is keen that its differences with the Dravidian party at the grass-root levels should be ironed out and they should get maximum seats to contest.

State Congress chief KS Alagiri stated, “Congress has performed extremely well in the recent Assembly elections and we expect at least 10% of the total seats in the local body polls to be allocated to us to contest the polls.” However, sources in the DMK stated that Congress does not have grass-root machinery and organization in the state. The source added that DMK would consider providing the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a movement predominant with Dalit cadres more seats in the ensuing elections. It is because the VCK have a good grass-root presence in these districts.

After losing power in the assembly election, the AIADMK is on a sticky wicket. The arrival of former interim general secretary VK Sasikala pitching her claims to lead the party has made the situation trickier. Both senior leaders, K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam have put up a brave front in this situation. But, there are resentments at the grass-root levels as Sasikala tries to remain relevant by releasing audio clippings of her conversation with the AIADMK cadres in various parts of the state on a daily basis.

Also Read: After 4 years, expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala released from jail. Here are surprising facts about her

Another party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) was floated by Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran. AIADMK is worried that Dhinakaran’s AMMK will create problems by eating into its vote share.

Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is a party in alliance with the AIADMK. On July 16 1989, PMK was founded by S. Ramadoss, a social activist. AIADMK and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) together fought the 2021 Assembly elections in the State, after a gap of 20 years. In the last Assembly elections of 2016, the PMK fought alone. It had lost all the seats. In 2001, PMK was part of the AIADMK alliance. That year, it had contested in 27 seats and won 20. Both the AIADMK and PMK were part of a grand alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. That alliance included BJP as well.

AIADMK has dismissed its spokesperson Pugazhendhi for having been vocally critical of PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss. But the party cadres in AIADMK do not feel that the PMK leadership has that bonhomie with the AIADMK. The cadres also feel that there are several differences of opinion at the grass-root level between the PMK and AIADMK leadership, both at the micro and macro levels.

A senior leader of AIADMK from Northern Tamil Nadu on the conditions of anonymity stated, “If PMK does not support us in north Tamil Nadu, then it will be curtains and I do not think that the issues between the AIADMK and the PMK at several places of the state have died down. We have to immediately reach a solution to this vexing problem or we will face the music in the local body polls.”

Another issue confronts the AIADMK. The issue pertains to the BJP state president L Murugan. He has made it known that the alliance with the Dravidian party was only for the Assembly polls and that things are open now. This has led to an atmosphere of discomfort in the AIADMK leadership and among the cadres. BJP is not a big force to reckon with in Tamil Nadu. But, it cannot be ignored that the saffron party has pockets of influence. This could in turn create problems for the AIADMK at the grass-root levels if things are not sorted out.

(With inputs from IANS)

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Puducherry election: NDA camp emerged victorious with AINRC bagging 10 seats and BJP winning 6

Puducherry

In the Puducherry Assembly election, the NDA emerged victorious, with the All India NR Congress becoming the single-largest party.

In the polls in Puducherry, AINRC won 25.85 percent of the vote share, while its ally BJP won 13.66 percent of the votes. Among the parties in the opposition camp, the DMK won 18.51 percent vote share while the Congress won 15.71 percent of the popular mandate, according to the figures released by the Election Commission (EC).  Among NDA parties, AINRC has won ten seats, while the BJP has won six seats. In the UPA camp, the DMK won six constituencies, while the Congress won in two places.

AIADMK suffered a set back as none of the five party candidates could emerge victorious in the assembly elections in Puducherry.

A Johnkumar and his son Richard Johnkumar, contested on BJP tickets in Puducherry. Both were elected to the legislative assembly of the Union territory of Puducherry on Sunday. Johnkumar had quit the Congress ahead of the April 6 assembly polls and joined the BJP. He was doubly rewarded with party tickets for him and his son Richard Johnkumar.

On Sunday, Congress said that it has “lost” elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry

and West Bengal but has not “lost its morale or resolve” to continue to be people’s voice in these tough times. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the party would deliberate on its failures and do course correction after internal deliberations.

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TN Assembly elections: DMDK walks out of NDA coalition- its leader said that the AIADMK would lose its deposits in all seats

DMDK

After its seat-sharing talks with the AIADMK failed, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, DMDK, today called off its alliance with the AIADMK after the seat-sharing talks between the two parties did not end well. The two parties had three rounds of talks and saw the DMDK demanding 41 seats for its party. However, according to sources, the AIADMK was not willing to give more than 12 seats to the party led by actor-turned-politician Vijayakant.

Vijayakant’s brother-in-law and DMDK leader LK Sudhish said, “AIADMK will definitely fail & they will lose even their deposit. They refused to allot numbers we sought even after 3 rounds of talk.”

DMDK had demanded that they be given 41 seats, and as negotiations began, the DMDK demanded that they be given seats equal to that of the PMK which got 23 seats from the BJP. But the AIADMK was not ready to agree with the demand.

Meanwhile, AIADMK minister, D Jayakumar said, “Three rounds of talks were done with DMDK, and then suddenly they had an executive meeting and decided to quit our alliance. This is such an unfortunate move by DMDK. This will be a huge loss for DMDK.”

Also Read: AIADMK leader stated clearly that BJP must toe in as a second fiddle in TN polls or leave the alliance

So far the BJP has sealed its seat-sharing agreement with BJP and PMK who have been given 20 and 23 seats respectively.

The decision of the DMDK was made at a party meeting called by Vijayakanth. An official statement later said, “The DMDK quits the AIADMK-BJP alliance based on the unanimous decision at the district secretaries’ meeting.”

Soon after, DMDK leaders, including Vijayakanth’s brother in law L K Sudheesh and son Vijaya Prabhakaran, attacked the AIADMK, saying its candidates, led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, would lose their deposits in the upcoming polls.

Talking to media personnel, Sudheesh said that “it is Deepavali” for all of them today. “The AIADMK will forfeit deposits in all the constituencies. K P Munusamy (senior AIADMK leader) there was working as the sleeper cell of PMK,” Sudheesh claimed. The PMK, another ally of AIADMK-BJP alliance, recently sealed its seat-sharing deal, and has been allotted some seats the DMDK wanted.

While DMDK was part of a third front in the 2016 polls along with Left and Dalit parties, it had helped AIADMK win by splitting opposition votes. They struck an alliance with AIADMK and BJP ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and this time, the party wanted a minimum of 25 seats.

While DMDK cadres celebrated the decision to quit the alliance with crackers at their party headquarters in Chennai, Vijaya Prabhakaran addressed a gathering of party workers at Panruti near Cuddalore. In his first such public appearance before a charged crowd at an auditorium, Prabhakaran attacked CM Palaniswami.

“We are starting the game here. Do not even think that we will be part of an alliance hereafter. Captain (Vijayakanth) has always been a giver, he was never at the receiving end,” Prabhakaran said.

“If you are the bigger party, you take 170 or 180 seats. But who are you to dictate the deserving number of seats for the second largest party? If you can not give the number of seats we demand, people will give you a fitting reply. What Edappadi? Are you a Chief Minister? You are going to forfeit the deposit at Edappadi constituency. I am speaking for the people. If I speak anything more, it would lead to riots,” he said.

“You have seen Vijayakanth and Premalatha. Now you will see Vijaya Prabhakaran. People may ridicule me as a little kid. Yes, I am a kid but a decent kid,” Prabhakaran said, promising the gathering that he would be there to lead the party.

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Puducherry situation: On failing to prove majority, CM Narayanasamy submits resignation- heavily criticized the BJP & central government-VCK party termed the collapse a dress rehearsal for what is to happen in Tamil Nadu

Puducherry news

After chief minister V Narayanasamy submitted his and his cabinet colleagues’ resignation letters in the wake of the ruling Congress losing its majority in the assembly, the BJP Puducherry unit said on Monday that the party would not stake a claim to form a government in the Union territory at this stage(but after the elections).

Politicians have taken to Twitter to react to Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy’s resignation on Monday, February 22 over losing his party’s trust vote in the Puducherry Assembly. The Congress in Puducherry had been hit by a spate of resignations in the last one month. Accusing Kiran Bedi, who was removed as the union territory’s lieutenant governor last week, of colluding with the opposition and trying to topple the government, the Congress leader said, “Because of the support of my MLAs, we were able to complete almost five years of our government.”

On the other hand, in a statement, BJP-Puducherry president V Saminathan said that the NDA formed of the BJP, All India NR Congress & AIADMK would form the government with the blessings of the people after the upcoming elections.  Saminathan said that Puducherry needs a new era, new government, new culture of public service and a new vision and leadership.

Thol Thirumavalavan, MP and President of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi party called the collapse of the Puduchery government a “dress rehearsal for what is to happen in Tamil Nadu”.

VCK, in the press release further alleged that, “BJP, which is incapable of winning a single seat by winning the people’s mandate, is trying to gain a foothold in Puducherry by such backdoor entry. The people of Puducherry will never accept such manoeuvring. We wish to warn these selfish people and anti-democratic forces that the people of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will teach them a lesson.”

Also Read: Political crisis in Puducherry: Congress government loses majority-Kiran Bedi removed as LG

Narayanasamy on Monday charged central government with “murdering democracy” by removing a democratically-formed government at the fag-end of its tenure. He also accused the Union government of destabilizing and toppling an elected government through “engineering defections using investigative agencies” and by “inducements”.

Moving the Motion of Confidence in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister said that the Centre had been trying to destabilize his government for a long time like “they did” in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and Goa but the Congress-DMK combine was able to thwart the attempts as recently as last week.

Squarely blaming the BJP-led NDA government for toppling his government, he said “Just because they have power they think they can do anything in the country. Atrocities against Dalits and minorities continue in the country. Don’t the minorities have the right to live in the country? The Opposition parties here will be also judged by the people for supporting the Centre’s move.”

He also said, “What was the necessity to remove a democratically-elected government just around ten days before the announcement for the Assembly elections? The Centre uses Income Tax [Department], Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate to threaten Opposition leaders [in order] to form their government. In our camp, we had some timid legislators (referring to those resigned) the BJP was successful in weaning away. The people of the Union Territory are watching the developments.”

“We will face the electorate and explain to the people how best we served despite so much interference and obstruction,” he further added. Mr. Narayansamy reminded the Opposition about the Congress-DMK candidates’ victories in bypolls and Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Mr. Narayansamy castigated the centre stating that the PM often spoke about the need for cooperative federalism, but his government functioned contrary to the concept. No consultation was done with the elected government before appointing nominated legislators, the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, the Congress leader further said.

“The schemes and decisions proposed by the Cabinet were blocked or referred to the Centre by the former Lt Governor Kiran Bedi”, he said adding, “Using Ms Bedi, the Centre took away our powers and did not allow us to function.”

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After 4 years, expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala released from jail. Here are surprising facts about her

After spending 4 years, VK Sasikala, expelled AIADMK leader and a close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, has been released from the Bengaluru jail. She was held in a corruption case.

After the release, Sasikala was taken to a city hospital for treatment of COVID. She will also continue to get protection from Karnataka Police as long as she remains in the state.

“The decision for her to continue treatment in Victoria Hospital has been taken by her and her family members,” the hospital said in a health bulletin.

The ex-AIADMK leader’s release comes on a day when the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurates a ₹ 79 crore memorial Jayalalithaa along Chennai’s Marina Beach.

Let’s know more about the leader who has been hitting the headlines lately:

Karunanidhi the DMK chief conducted Sasikala’s wedding with Natarajan, was a public relations officer in the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Sasikala allegedly supported the sand mafia of Mannargudi which is said to be controlled by her brother V. Divakaran.

Sasikala’s sister Vanitha’s son Sudhakaran is adopted by Jayalalithaa.

In 2012 Sasikala stated that being close to Jayalalithaa is more important to her than being close to her own family. Theories say, Jayalalithaa’s sun sign is Pisces (symbol: Fish) and Sasikala’s is Aquarius (symbol: Water bearer) which might have been the reason for them being as inseparable as fish and water.

In 2011, Sasikala was expelled by Jayalallitha from Poes Garden, Amma’s residence where sasikala resided with her family, following some controversy. However, she convinced Amma and Sasikala was back in the residence within 100 days.

Sasikala, who has never made a public speech, has served as the Mayor of Tuticorn city of Tamil Nadu from 2011-2014.

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MS Aiyar speaks of a strong walkover for Congress-DMK against a very divided AIADMK

MS Aiyar speaks

The jumbo committees formed in the Congress’ Tamil Nadu unit ahead of the assembly polls are not going to adversely impact the party as the move brings various factions together, senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Thursday and predicted a “strong walkover” for the DMK-Congress alliance over the AIADMK in the upcoming elections.

The comments by Aiyar, who has been named in several key poll-related panels of the Congress’ Tamil Nadu unit, come days after Congress MP Karti Chidambaram raised questions over the state unit rejig, saying such “jumbo committees” serve no purpose as no one will have any authority which would mean “no accountability”.

In an interview with PTI, Aiyar said that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-Congress alliance was facing a “very divided” All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) between Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam (OPS).

Aiyar also said that if either of the “factions” in the AIADMK or the party as a whole joins hands with the BJP then that will be to its further disadvantage “because in Tamil Nadu there has never been and there is not now any kind of Hindu-Muslim divide”.

“The Congress will not be fighting in Tamil Nadu on its own, it is going to be part of the alliance being put together by the DMK. Now we are faced with a very divided AIADMK between EPS and OPS, where there has been no reconciliation of hearts,” he said.

“Although they (AIADMK) have succeeded against many people’s expectations, including mine, in being able to run a coalition government. I call it a coalition government because EPS and OPS are really running irreconcilable factions and these factional rivalries are bound to affect the ground prospects of the AIADMK,” the former Union minister and an ex-MP from Tamil Nadu said.

Asked about Karti Chidambaram’s “jumbo committee” remarks and his own take on the Congress appointing 32 vice presidents, 57 general secretaries and 104 secretaries in its state unit last week, Aiyar said that this is the “jumbo way” of running the Pradesh Congress.

(Source: PTI)

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AIADMK leader stated clearly that BJP must toe in as a second fiddle in TN polls or leave the alliance

The ruling AIADMK, in its first poll rally on Sunday bluntly told its ally BJP that it cannot make a dent in Tamil Nadu. AIADMK clearly ruled out accommodating the saffron party in the government if it won the assembly elections, due next year, and retained power.

The BJP has to endorse Chief Minister K Palaniswami’s candidature for the CM’s post for the polls. The AIADMK indicated at its meet that the saffron party also needs to agree to its other terms like non-participation in government and if not, should rethink of its 2021 electoral options.

Pointing to the deaths of AIADMK’s top leader J Jayalalithaa and DMK’s M Karunanidhi who opposed her, senior leader and AIADMK Deputy Coordinator K P Munusamy said that in the absence of such leaders, ‘many’ parties were now trying to make a political entry into Tamil Nadu and succeed.

KP Munusamy said that some national parties, who he called as “opportunists, betrayers and a crowd”, were blaming the Dravidian outfits, alleging that they ruined Tamil Nadu by their 50 plus year rule of the state. Munusamy wondered how accusations of inefficiency could be hurled against the AIADMK government when the Centre had given so many awards to Tamil Nadu for its stellar performance in many sectors.

Munusamy also added that on an overall basis, the state had a superior infrastructure and facilities, be it education or health care amenities. He added that all such forces eying political gains should realize that Tamil Nadu would not endorse them as Dravidian ideology is the bedrock of the state’s social and cultural milieu.

Munusamy further added that Tamil Nadu’s socio-political landscape was nurtured by the Dravidian movement, which was built on the ethos of Tamil culture, language and valour and hence the state was entirely different from the rest of the country. The distinctive feature and undercurrent of the Dravidian movement has effectively blocked the entry of national parties into the state for over half a century, he said, adding that it was only the offshoots of the movement, AIADMK and DMK that have been ruling Tamil Nadu since 1967.

The Tamil Nadu BJP, in general, is opposed to Dravidian politics, which, it had often said, showed some tendencies of separatism, resulting in the state going off the national mainstream. Of late, the saffron party had not targeted the AIADMK on the ground of Dravidian ideology.

Munusamy made the remarks in the presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and other senior leaders. In his fiery speech, Munusamy, a senior leader seen as close to Panneerselvam, who is also the party coordinator, was clear in his message that BJP cannot succeed independently in Tamil Nadu and was very much dependent on AIADMK. He also hinted that BJP should accept that AIADMK was the senior partner, endorse the candidature of Palaniswami or the saffron party may reconsider its electoral options for the 2021 polls. Though Munusamy did not mention BJP by name directly, it was clear that the message was intended for the national party that led the Central government.

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After AIADMK, DMK announces manifesto panel as bugle for Tamil Nadu polls

Four days after the AIADMK reported Edappadi K Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial applicant shaped an 11-member controlling advisory group and different boards for the 2021 Assembly surveys, the principle resistance DMK on Sunday declared an eight-member council to set up the survey pronouncement for the forthcoming races.

As indicated by a statement by DMK general secretary Duraimurgan, DMK financier TR Baalu, senior MPs A Raja, TKS Ilangovan, Trichy N Siva, and Kanimozhi, and gathering appointee general secretaries Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, Anthiyur Selvaraj, and Professor A. Ramaswamy is part of the panel.

While the AIADMK-led alliance, which includes BJP, PMK, and Captain Vijayakanth’s DMDK, considers the elections a tough challenge, the DMK’s electoral journey will be difficult if the Dravidian chief wants to retain his allies. Regarding the symbol used by the opposition coalition.

The issue of the symbol has become a matter of concern for coalition partners that Prashanth Kishore, DMK’s brand strategist, told MK Stalin while maintaining the maximum number of seats with DMK or sharing seats with allies.

The MDMK of Vaiko, one of the most popular Tamil nationalist leaders in the DMK alliance, said the party would contest an independent election, not the DMK election symbol this time.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, not only the MDMK but also the prominent Dalit party VCK had to contest on the symbol of the rising sun of the DMK inspired by the Dravidian chief.

VCK leader Thirumavalavan also claimed that his party’s candidates would contest free elections in the upcoming elections as they did since 2001 as part of the DMK alliance.

While the DMK alliance led by the Vaiko, Left, and Dalit parties was still able to win 98 seats against the AIADMK’s 136, due to the defeat of the main opposition party DMK for the second time in the May 2016 assembly elections, the victory of the opposition votes split was in favor.

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TN Rajya Sabha Polls: DMK’s Tiruchi Siva ‘grateful’ for being re-nominated

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

The DravidaMunnetraKazhagam (DMK) on Sunday announced the candidates for Rajya Sabha, which include party strongman ‘Tiruchi’ Siva being re-nominated for the March 26 polls. It also named a lawyer and prominent Dalit leader as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in the state.

While Siva, whose tenure ends on April 2 was renominated for a third term, the party gave seat to N R Elango, party’s legal eagle, and ‘Anthiyur’ Selvaraj, who is a former minister and a Dalit leader in the DMK, from Western Tamil Nadu.

“I am very grateful to the party leadership for reposing faith in me as a Parliamentarian and nominating me once again to Rajya Sabha. “I will be the voice of DMK and people of Tamil Nadu and will strive to uphold the tenets of Indian Constitution, which is under strain now,” Siva told media.

As per the Election Commission’s schedule for biennial elections, the poll will be held on March 26 and counting of votes will happen on the same day.

According to the Election Commission, the notification would be issued on March 6, the last date for filing of nominations is March 13.

With the current strength, DMK and AIADMK can win three seats on their own.Presently, the AIADMK has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha and the DMK has five. Post elections, the strength of AIADMK in Rajya Sabha are expected to fall to nine (if it fields its candidates for all the seats) and the DMK’s strength will increase to seven.