Rajya Sabha Polls: Kamal Haasan, P Wilson Among Candidates As DMK, AIADMK File Nominations
Quick Read
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
Candidates from DMK and AIADMK, including Kamal Haasan, filed nominations for Tamil Nadu's Rajya Sabha elections. DMK's nominees focus on social representation, while tensions rise within AIADMK over seat allocations amid upcoming elections.
Chennai:
In a significant political development, candidates from both the ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK - including actor-politician Kamal Haasan - filed their nominations today for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu.
The DMK has fielded four candidates, with sitting MP and senior advocate P Wilson nominated for a second term. Internationally acclaimed poet Rokiah Malik, popularly known as Salma, and former MLA Sivalingam from Salem have also been nominated.
As part of its alliance with Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), the DMK has allotted one Rajya Sabha seat to Kamal Haasan, marking his formal elevation to the upper house of Parliament.
The choices are aimed at the 2026 assembly elections. Two of the DMK's nominees come from minority communities - Wilson, a Christian, is well known for securing major legal wins for the party, including orders enabling the burial of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi along Marina Beach and the recent court ruling limiting gubernatorial interference in state affairs. Salma, from the Muslim community, is a celebrated feminist writer and literary figure, whose nomination underscores the DMK's continued focus on social representation.
Sivalingam, the third DMK candidate, is from the AIADMK-dominated western belt, and is seen as a strategic choice aimed at strengthening the party's foothold in that region - particularly after the DMK managed to win only one of the eleven assembly seats in Salem, in 2021.
Kamal Haasan's nomination comes as part of the DMK-MNM alliance that was formalised ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Responding to criticism for aligning with the DMK - a party he once vocally opposed - Haasan said, "This is the need of the hour," citing the importance of uniting opposition forces against the BJP.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK has named two candidates - Inbadurai, the head of its legal wing and a Christian from the influential Nadar community in southern Tamil Nadu and M Dhanapal, a former MLA from a Scheduled Caste background.
However, tensions appear to be simmering within the AIADMK-led alliance. The DMDK, led by Premalatha Vijayakanth, has expressed discontent over being denied a Rajya Sabha seat, despite claiming it was assured one. While AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami dismissed speculation, insisting "all is fine," Premalatha hinted at uncertainty, stating the DMDK would announce its alliance decision "later."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Bring sponsors, perpetrators & financiers of terror to justice'
NEW DELHI: The 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue saw the two sides stressing that perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to justice, while also unequivocally condemning the Pahalgam attack. In a joint statement, they underlined the need to strengthen UN-led global counterterrorism cooperation and fully implement the relevant UNSC resolutions, Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and FATF standards. External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his counterparts from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Turkmenistan called on PM Narendra Modi after the Dialogue that saw focus on issues related to connectivity, trade, investment and counterterrorism. "India deeply cherishes its historical ties with the countries of Central Asia. Look forward to working together to further deepen our cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, fintech, food security and health for mutual progress and prosperity,"Modi said in a post on X, adding both sides stood firm and resolute in their collective fight against terrorism. A joint statement said that the ministers unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Bengaluru stampede: RCB official, 3 others sent to judicial custody
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 6 (ANI): A Sessions Court in Bengaluru on Friday remanded four individuals, including senior Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) official Nikhil Sosale and three event managers, to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here. They were arrested in a joint operation by the Cubbon Park Police and the Central Crime Branch (CCB) at Kempegowda International Airport in the early hours of June 6 (Friday). Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Friday granted interim relief to the office bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), who had approached the court seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against them in connection with the stampede, which claimed the lives of 11 people. In an interim order, the court directed the state police to not take any coercive action against them until further orders. The High Court adjourned the case to June 9. KSCA President Raghu Ram Bhat, Secretary A Shankar, Treasurer ES Jairam, and other KSCA office bearers moved the High Court seeking to quash the FIR. Nikhil Sosale had also approached the High Court challenging his arrest. He claimed that he was arrested without any materials and even before the police had conducted a preliminary enquiry. He has thus sought to declare his arrest illegal. On Thursday, the Bengaluru police registered an FIR against the RCB franchise, DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., an event management company; and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for culpable homicide, illegal assembly, and other serious charges. A day after the stampede that claimed the lives 11 people, the Karnataka police suspended multiple IPS officers, including the Bengaluru city police Commissioner, B Dayananda. Apart from Dayananda, Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shekhar HT, Assistant Commissioner of Police Balakrishna and Cubbon Park Police Inspector Girish AK were also suspended with immediate effect. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for politicising the recent stampede. His remarks came after the BJP accused the Congress-led state government of making the police a 'scapegoat' in the incident. CM Siddaramaiah said the state government has already taken action against officials who were found to be 'visibly responsible' and 'negligent in their duty.' 'They are doing it for politics. I don't do politics. We have taken action against those who were visibly responsible and found to be negligent in their duty,' the Chief Minister said here. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
India-Central Asia dialogue condemns terrorism, calls for cooperation
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): The 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue concluded with a strong condemnation of terrorism and a commitment to enhance cooperation in the region in the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgan terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stressing that perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable. 'The Ministers unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgham. They reaffirmed their firm commitment to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They reiterated that providing safe haven, using terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism, terror financing, arms and drugs trafficking, dissemination of a radical ideology and abuse of cyber space to spread disinformation and incite violence, goes against the basic principles of humanity and international relations,' read the Joint Statement of 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue. India and the five Central Asian nations' foreign ministers--Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan--emphasised the need to strengthen UN-led global counterterrorism cooperation and fully implement relevant UNSC resolutions, the Global Counterterrorism Strategy, and FATF standards. 'They stressed that perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to justice. In this context, they called for early adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. They stressed the need to strengthen UN-led global counter-terrorism cooperation and fully implement the relevant UNSC resolutions, Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and FATF standards,' added the statement. The Ministers noted the importance of holding regular consultations among the National Security Councils of India and the Central Asian countries to strengthen efforts to counter terrorism and other emerging challenges in the region. They looked forward to the third edition of the Consultations to be held in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepening and expanding collaboration in capacity building. In this regard, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Central Asian countries appreciated the successful organisation of capacity building programmes by India for Drug Law Enforcement Officers from Central Asian countries in December 2024 and on Countering Financing of Terrorism in New Delhi in April 2025, added the statement. They expressed strong support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, free from terrorism, war, and drugs, and agreed to continue close coordination and consultations on matters related to Afghanistan. 'The Ministers reiterated their strong support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan which is free from terrorism, war and drugs. They stressed the need to stand by the people of Afghanistan. The Ministers agreed to continue close coordination and consultations on matters related to Afghanistan,' added the statement. The Ministers appreciated the successful annual visits of youth delegations from Central Asian countries to India and emphasised the role of such visits in building strong people-to-people ties. Taking note of the large number of students from India and the Central Asian countries studying in each other's higher educational institutions, the Ministers stressed the importance of ensuring their welfare. The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to work towards advancing mutual objectives and deepening collaboration across shared priorities to prepare ground for holding the second India-Central Asia Summit at a mutually convenient date in 2025. The meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, concluded with a shared commitment to bolster counter-terrorism cooperation through institutional dialogue, legal coordination, and capacity building. The Ministers of Central Asian countries thanked the External Affairs Minister of India for the warm hospitality accorded to their delegations for the 4th meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi. The Ministers agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in 2026, read the bvstatement. (ANI)
