I want PMK in DMK alliance to strengthen Dalit-OBC unity: TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai
Edited Excerpts:
Your recent meeting with PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss raised eyebrows. Later, you said you would welcome PMK joining the DMK-led alliance for the 2026 Assembly elections.
As I said earlier, my meeting with Dr Ramadoss was purely a courtesy call. But if you ask how there could be no politics, then yes, both of us are politicians and I am a leader of a party. We would have discussed everything. However, only DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin, the leader of our alliance in Tamil Nadu, is in a position to decide on the alliance.
The DMK president has said many times that the present alliance is not merely an electoral formation, but an ideological alliance with a united voice on key issues like federalism and secularism. Would the inclusion of PMK, which sided with the BJP even in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, be organic?
Has PMK not been part of the DMK alliance in 2006 and 2011? When it comes to politics, we can never say things are permanent. Parties are contesting from different platforms at different times.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan has been vocal about their reluctance and has even said the VCK would leave if PMK entered the alliance. Would your suggestion not put your existing long-standing ally in a difficult spot?
Thirumavalavan has every right to decide for his party, whether to be in the alliance or not and how to face the election. At the same time, the DMK president has the right to decide on who can be included or not. We should acknowledge that VCK, PMK and Congress were part of the DMK alliance in the 2011 Assembly elections.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
22 minutes ago
- First Post
Brics bigger than G7: Expansion boosts global clout but Trump, China pose challenge
Brics has expanded from initial four to eleven members and has sought a greater say in the world's affairs in recent years, but the group has faced a challenge to its relevance from US President Donald Trump's direct threats and attempts by China to turn the group into an anti-West bloc to take on the United States. read more Over the past two decades, Brics has evolved from a forum of four emerging economies to a group of 11 nations that its supporters say is ushering true multilateralism in the world. Critics, however, say that the bloc is just a Chinese tool to unseat the United States to become the world's foremost superpower. The idea of Brics emerged in 2001 when then-Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jim O'Neill argued that Brazil, Russia, India, and China had the potential to reshape the global economic landscape by 2050 due to their large populations, rapid economic growth, rising global influence, and rapid upward social mobility. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2006, the four countries came together to form Bric — South Africa joined in 2010. With the expansion in 2024, the group has 11 members. Brics has positioned itself as a non-Western alternative for supporting economic growth and cooperation. Even though the group's influence has risen, challenges have also risen and the group now finds itself as a critical juncture. Brics is bigger than G7 but faces tough challenges In 2015, Brics launched New Development Bank (NDB) to fund infrastructure and development projects in developing countries. With initiatives like the NDB and the Russia-led grain exchange, and collaboration in other areas of emerging technologies and economies, Brics has positioned itself as an alternative to Western-dominated financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. But, even as Brics continues to attract new members, the group is far from replacing IMF or World Bank and stares at formidable challenges — both internally and externally. Internally, the very purpose of Brics is under question as China has sought to become the leader of the group and turn it into an anti-Western bloc. Russia has supported China to the hilt in this quest. The two countries are already part of an anti-Western alliance also comprising Iran and North Korea (the so-called CRINK bloc) and want to make Brics an extension of that bloc — while the CRINK bloc clashes with the West militarily, Brics takes on the West economically. Externally, Brics has faced strong opposition from US President Donald Trump, who has dubbed any move by the group to dethrone the US Dollar as a red line. He has threatened Brics members with 100 per cent tariffs if they move towards a Brics currency or dedollarisation. With such challenges that put the very basis of the group in question, Brics stands as a unique blend of opportunities, aspirations, and challenges, and India as a founding member and a competitor of China has its own share of challenges. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A non-Western group or an anti-Western group? India has gone to great lengths to explain to the West that Brics is not an anti-Western group and that it supplements Western institutions like the IMF and World Bank and does not seek to replace them. But China and Russia continue to push the group as an anti-Western bloc. Brics is definitely a China-dominated group as China is the largest economy and contributes to 40 per cent of the bloc's gross domestic product. Moreover, NBD is headquartered in Shanghai even as five initial members —Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa— are equal shareholders of the bank. The presence of ironclad partners Russia and China (and Iran as well) in Brics further adds to the anti-Western impression of the bloc. However, India's presence in the group and, more importantly, its status as a founding member counterbalances the China-Russia influence. India has so far prevented the bloc from turning into an anti-Western bloc. In March, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar dismissed fears of Brics trying to replace the US Dollar. Instead, India considers the strength of the US Dollar essential for global stability, said Jaishankar. 'I don't think there's any policy on our part to replace the dollar. As I said, at the end of the day, the dollar as the reserve currency is the source of international economic stability. And right now, what we want in the world is more economic stability, not less,' said Jaishankar. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India has also used its status as an equal shareholder at NDB to prevent the bank from turning into an extension of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As China is not just working to dethrone the United States, but is also looking forward to suppress India's rise, India's continued presence and assertion of its role as a founding member in Brics is a must. Anushka Saxena, a China researcher at the Takshashila Institution, previously told Firstpost that India's involvement in Brics and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a must to ensure these institutions work for stated purposes and not become China's tools. 'In Brics, India's priorities lie in making sure that principled guidelines are laid out to set benchmarks for membership, in creating space for consensus-building against the possibility of China's influence-peddling, and in attempting to retain the image and brand value of Brics as a community of developing market economies demanding more voice in global governance,' she said Saxena. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Similarly, in the SCO, India's role as a disruptor is vital. If China and Russia continue to propagate the idea that these groupings are anti-West, India's presence becomes necessary to maintain the balance and act as a bridge with the West,' Saxena further said.
The Wire
an hour ago
- The Wire
CPI(M) Alleges Ties to Abhishek Banerjee, Massive Corruption in Deocha-Pachami Coal Project
Bankura: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded a judicial inquiry into the controversial Deocha-Pachami coal mining project in Birbhum district of West Bengal. At a press conference held on July 3 at the party's state headquarters on Alimuddin Street, CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim alleged large-scale corruption, environmental violations, and illegal tender procedures, accusing both the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government and the BJP-led Union government of complicity. Salim presented evidence alleging that the state government secured environmental clearance for the project fraudulently. He claimed the union environment ministry had granted clearance for a mere 12 acres, despite the project's actual size being over 431 hectares, which would necessitate a mandatory public hearing and full environmental scrutiny as a Category A project. 'This environmental certificate is practically fraudulent and was given under the auspices of the BJP-led Union government. Both the Centre and the state are responsible,'alleged Salim. The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) awarded the mining contract in March 2024 to Trancemarine & Confreight Logistics Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based firm with no prior mining experience, at a 71.05% revenue share. In April, 2025 Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd, a Kolkata-based firm, acquired 60% of Trancemarine for a mere Rs 4.23 crore. Himadri also issued a Rs 150 crore loan to Sturdy Niketan, an obscure entity with no turnover, allegedly for royalty payments. According to a company release, Trancemarine's annual turnover for FY23-24 was Rs 35.69 crore, much higher than what Himadri is paying for its acquisition. 'Once someone is given a tender, it cannot be passed to someone else. This is a direct violation of WBPDCL policy. Sturdy Niketan, which has zero income, is being used as a front for illicit financial flows,' Salim claimed. Interestingly, Himadri Chemicals, now central to the project, had earlier invested in Tidings Media & Communication Pvt Ltd, which acquired the Bengali daily Ei Samay from the Times Group. One of Tidings' major stakeholders is Sanjay Basu, known to be a legal advisor and close confidante of both Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, the Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee. In February 2025, CM Banerjee claimed at the Bengal Global Business Summit that coal mining had begun at Deucha-Pachami and promised over one lakh jobs. However, CPI(M) pointed out that WBPDCL has not even submitted the required geological report or mining plan to the Union coal ministry, 66 months after the coal block was allotted in overall project, including basalt mining, is expected to generate over Rs 1,500 crore in profits, raising serious questions about insider profiteering. 'Where is the coal? It was said that above 100,000 people would be employed, where is employment? The fact is that stones will be extracted from that land,' Salim said. Documents indicate that the coal mining lease process remains incomplete, and no private company applied to mine the block even after two deadline extensions in 2025. In November 2023, the state government authorised WBPDCL to mine basalt on 431.47 acres, with an estimated profit of Rs 5,600 crore. In June 2024, Pachami Basalt Mining PrivateLimited was incorporated in Kolkata. Neither Sturdy Niketan nor Pachami Basalt Mining Private Limited has an official website, and their corporate listing links to Basalt mining began in Deucha-Pachami site in February this year, but locals demanded a permanent halt, citing severe environmental and health hazards and alleging that forest land was cleared without informing the resident tribal communities.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
YSRCP made AP a debt-ridden State, asserts Savitha
Somandepalli: Minister Savitha on Thursday launched a scathing attack on YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of resorting to 'corpse politics' to stay relevant. She stated that under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu, the NDA government is progressing with development and welfare as its two eyes. Participating in the 'First Step Towards Good Governance' programme held at Somandepalli mandal headquarters, the minister visited households to gather direct feedback from citizens on the one-year performance of the NDA-led government. She personally interacted with people to understand whether they received welfare scheme benefits and instructed officials to immediately address any lapses in delivery. She expressed satisfaction at the public's positive response and stated that although there are no elections at present, the NDA leaders are stepping into the public domain to assess the government's impact, following Chandrababu Naidu's directive. 'Unlike the previous YSRCP government, which distanced itself from people after coming to power, we are engaging directly with the public,' she said. Taking a dig at Jagan, she remarked that his 'Recall Manifesto' campaign is merely an attempt to assert his political relevance. 'Corpse politics has become Jagan's habit,' she added, criticising his approach to public issues. She asserted that within just one year, the NDA has brought Andhra Pradesh back on track after the damage caused during the YSRCP regime. She said that Chandrababu's governance gives equal importance to both development and welfare and that all election promises are being fulfilled. She concluded by saying that the only thing Jagan did during his five-year rule was deceive the people. The event was attended by NDA alliance leaders and party workers from Somandepalli mandal.
