logo
Today in Politics: In Tamil Nadu, Ramadoss and son patchup; AIADMK draws a line with BJP

Today in Politics: In Tamil Nadu, Ramadoss and son patchup; AIADMK draws a line with BJP

Indian Express17-07-2025
THE simmering public rift between Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss and his son, party president Anbumani Ramadoss, may be headed for a cooling down.
This has been prompted by the alleged discovery of a tapping device, and the apprehension of a police investigation.
According to two senior PMK sources and a confidant close to the family, a complaint filed on behalf of Ramadoss about the discovery of a sophisticated audio-tapping device at his house, and the hint that the son's side may be implicated in it, had prompted a flurry of damage-control efforts by the family. G Viswanathan, who runs the VIT Group of Institutions and is a long-time friend of the family, is reportedly the chief mediator.
A complaint filed with police's Cyber Crime Wing by PMK Headquarters secretary M Anbalagan, seen by The Indian Express, says that 'an apparatus (bug)' was found at the official residence of Ramadoss by his staff on the evening of July 9, 'in the usual sitting chair (sofa)', while they were cleaning the furniture.
This added an urgency to the mediation efforts between the father and son, and as per sources, a breakthrough is near. A top source in the family said it was Anbumani's father-in-law Krishnaswamy, who is also a friend of Viswanathan, who had urged the VIT Group owner to intervene. Senior Ramadoss and Viswanathan are believed to have met last week on Saturday.
The top PMK source said: 'The conversation between Viswanathan and Ayya (Ramadoss) was candid. The focus now is not on ego or succession, but on protecting the family and the party from irreparable damage.'
Meanwhile, amid renewed speculation over the terms of the BJP and AIADMK alliance in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) issued his most direct clarification yet on Wednesday: 'There will be no power sharing. EPS will be the Chief Minister. The AIADMK will form the government. Period.'
Speaking at Chidambaram, EPS dismissed questions over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks that there would be a 'coalition government' in the state if the NDA won the 2026 Assembly elections. 'You got it wrong,' EPS told reporters.
'It is not going to be an alliance government, but the alliance will form the government. Who is leading this alliance? The AIADMK. Then who will decide about power sharing? We will take the decision.'
Behind this public assertiveness, lies a nuanced understanding between the AIADMK and BJP high command – that it is politically harmful for the AIADMK to publicly endorse the idea of a coalition government before the elections, for fear of a backlash from its core Dravidian voter base. In private, sources said, EPS has conveyed to Shah that a power-sharing arrangement could be considered in the case of a win, if 'at a minimal level'.
Plot thickens in Karnataka
Randeep Singh Surjewala, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, continued to hold meetings with several ministers on Wednesday, sparking the CM question yet again.
These meetings are said to be aimed at understanding their grievances, assessing their performance, and addressing the complaints shared by the party MLAs against the ministers
Earlier, the AICC General Secretary had held two rounds of one-on-one meetings with party legislators in the state.
Protests intensify in Odisha
Demanding the resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over the death of a female college student in Balasore district, Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba on Wednesday said President's Rule must be imposed in the state.
The second-year B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on Monday night. She had set herself on fire on the college campus on July 12 over inaction against a professor who allegedly sexually harassed her. Lamba alleged that the student died due to the failure of the system in Odisha.
The Congress also gave a call for a bandh on Thursday. Eight political outfits such as the CPI, CPI(ML), RJD, SP, All India Forward Bloc, and NCP have extended their support for the bandh so far.
— WITH PTI inputs
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Anbumani: Chennai's 2nd airport can be in Thiruporur instead of Parandur
Anbumani: Chennai's 2nd airport can be in Thiruporur instead of Parandur

Time of India

time4 hours ago

  • Time of India

Anbumani: Chennai's 2nd airport can be in Thiruporur instead of Parandur

Chennai: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday said that the second airport for Chennai can be established in Thiruporur instead of Parandur. At a public meeting, during his third day of 'Urimai Meetpu Payanam', in Kanchipuram assembly segment, Anbumani said an airport at Thiruporur will not affect the people unlike Parandur where farmers have to be relocated. "There are 10,000 acres of salt pans near Thiruporur. If the airport is established in Thiruporur, none will be affected," Anbumani said. He said the PMK believed that Chennai needs development and a second airport. But the facility should not be established at the cost of farmers and farmlands, he said. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The former Union health minister attacked the DMK govt for the prevalence of illegal drug sale in the state. "Chief minister M K Stalin should be held responsible because the state police function under him. Can someone sell drugs without the knowledge of the police,'' he asked.

PM given a rousing reception in Tiruchi
PM given a rousing reception in Tiruchi

The Hindu

time9 hours ago

  • The Hindu

PM given a rousing reception in Tiruchi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Tiruchi on Saturday night as part of his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, was accorded a warm welcome from members of the public and cadres from the BJP and its allies on Sunday morning. As he travelled by car from a private star hotel on Collector's Office Road to the Tiruchi International Airport — a distance of 7.1 km — the Prime Minister waved at enthusiastic onlookers gathered on both sides of the road. Mr. Modi left for the airport from the hotel around 11.15 a.m. and the convoy passed through the Major Saravanan Roundabout, Bharathidasan Road, Head Post Office junction, TVS Tollgate, Subramaniyapuram, and Kottapattu before reaching the airport. Seated in the front, he waved at the public through the windshield. BJP and alliance party workers, including those from the AIADMK and Tamizhar Desam Katchi, assembled at key junctions along the route. The public too, gathered in considerable numbers, many showering flower petals on the convoy. Traditional percussion ensembles and artists dressed as Hindu deities—Shiva, Parvati, Murugan, Krishna, and Rama—added a cultural flavour to the welcome. Three major reception points were set up — at Bharathidasan Road near the Tiruchi Corporation Office, at Subramaniyapuram near the MGR statue, and near the Tiruchi International Airport — where party cadres and the public lined up to greet the Prime Minister. Steel barricades were installed at these key locations to manage crowds and ensure security. Banners, party flags, and placards from the BJP, the AIADMK, and Tamizhar Desam were placed along the medians and sidewalks, from the hotel to the airport. No other vehicles were allowed on this route during the Prime Minister's transit. All shops along the way were temporarily shut as a security measure and were reopened once the convoy passed. Traffic was diverted on alternative routes. Over 1,400 police personnel were deployed to ensure security along the entire stretch. The arrangements were supervised by top district and city police officials. Mr. Modi on returning to the city airport by helicopter from Gangaikonda Cholapuram, left for New Delhi by a special flight.

PM Modi Offers Prayers At Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple In Tamil Nadu
PM Modi Offers Prayers At Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple In Tamil Nadu

NDTV

time13 hours ago

  • NDTV

PM Modi Offers Prayers At Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple In Tamil Nadu

Ariyalur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple on the occasion of the Chola emperor's birth anniversary, Rajendra Chola I. The Prime Minister wore traditional attire and was welcomed by the local pandits in the temple. He was wearing a white veshti (dhoti), a white shirt, and an angavasthram worn around the neck while attending the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival. Earlier in the day, PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, held a roadshow in the Tiruchirappalli district. His convoy received a warm welcome from the commoners gathered to witness his arrival. The police made security arrangements and other preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur. On the final day of his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in the commemoration of 1,000 years since the maritime expedition of Rajendra Chola I to Southeast Asia, as well as to mark the commencement of construction on the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple. BJP and AIADMK flags have been placed on either side of the road, while flex boards and banners bearing images of Raja Raja Chozhan and messages welcoming the Prime Minister are seen along the route. According to an official press release, Prime Minister Modi will release a commemorative coin honouring one of India's greatest emperors, Rajendra Chola I, during a public event at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple to celebrate the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival. Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation development projects worth over Rs 4,800 crore in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi. A series of landmark projects across multiple sectors that will significantly enhance regional connectivity, boost logistics efficiency, strengthen clean energy infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for citizens across Tamil Nadu, as per a release. On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, PM Modi paid tributes to the brave soldiers of Kargil and saluted the valiant warriors and offered heartfelt homage to the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044 CE) was one of the most powerful and visionary rulers in Indian history. Under his leadership, the Chola Empire expanded its influence across South and Southeast Asia. He established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as the imperial capital after his victorious campaigns, and the temple he built there served as a beacon of Shaiva devotion, monumental architecture, and administrative prowess for over 250 years. Today, the temple stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions. The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also celebrates the rich Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition, fervently supported by the Cholas and immortalised by the 63 Nayanmars--the saint-poets of Tamil Shaivism. Notably, Rajendra Chola's birth star, Thiruvathirai (Ardra), begins on July 23, making this year's festival all the more significant.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store