
Son seems to have upper hand as PMK secys skip meet called by Ramadoss
The Chithirai conference of the Vanniyar Sangam held in Mamallapuram on May 11 was viewed as a major success for the party, with a large number of cadres in attendance. The strong turnout was especially significant, as the event was held after a gap of more than a decade and the first since the death of prominent Vanniyar Sangam leader J Guru, a key crowd-puller who passed away in 2018.
However, before the buzz around the conference had fully faded, the party was once again hit by internal turmoil as most functionaries skipped the meeting called by Ramadoss, whose word was once considered sacred by them.
At the Friday meeting attended by only a handful of functionaries including two of the party's five MLAs -- GK Mani and R Arul -- Ramadoss reiterated the need for efforts at the grassroots-level to win 50 Assembly seats in the 2026 elections, a goal he had earlier outlined at the Mamallapuram conference.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Delhi Assembly Monsoon Session to run on 100% solar power in push for green energy
The Monsoon Session of the Delhi Assembly, beginning on Monday (August 4, 2025), will be powered entirely by renewable energy following the inauguration of a 500-kilowatt rooftop solar power plant by Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday (August 3, 2025). This milestone makes the Delhi Assembly the first in the country to operate solely on solar energy. Speaking at the inauguration of the solar plant and the new e-Vidhan initiative, which aims to make the Assembly paperless, Mr. Meghwal said, 'Delhi Assembly will be the first where sustainability, self-reliance, and digital empowerment go hand in hand. This fusion of climate responsibility and administrative reform must begin at the heart of democratic institutions.' Sustainable governance Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta described the initiative as a model for how legislative institutions can champion environmental stewardship. Highlighting the historic significance of the Assembly building, constructed in 1912 and once home to the country's first Parliament, Mr. Gupta said it is 'an example of how tradition and progress can go together'. He said that the rooftop solar project is expected to yield savings of up to ₹15 lakh per month, or approximately ₹1.75 crore annually, with potential surplus electricity generation through net metering. 'The financial savings generated through solar energy will be reinvested in developmental work for the welfare of Delhi's people,' the Speaker said. The Monsoon Session's opening day will also see the tabling of two reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India: State Finances for the year 2023-24, and Welfare of Building and Other Construction Workers for the year ending March 2023. In a key development in education policy, Minister of Education Ashish Sood is set to introduce the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, which aims to regulate fee hikes in private schools across the Capital. A trial run of the new e-Vidhan (paperless) system is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Monday, with the official sitting of the House at 2:00 p.m. to be conducted entirely on solar power, without using electricity from conventional sources.


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Congress to stage protest outside Assembly against slum demolitions
The Congress's Delhi unit on Sunday said it will stage a protest outside the Assembly on the first day of the Monsoon Session on Monday, primarily against the demolition drives carried out in slum clusters across the city. The party said it will raise other issues such as the 'deteriorating law and order' situation, the 'false promise' of ₹2,500 per month to the women, and waterlogging. It will also protest against the school education Bill for being 'anti-parent and anti-education'. Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said party members met slum dwellers, who he said are living in 'constant fear of being displaced'. 'The BJP government, since it came to power, has already displaced 15,000 families,' the Delhi Congress chief said, adding that slum dwellers should not be displaced without alternative arrangements even if there is a need to relocate them. 'After Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of demolition of JJ Clusters in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Minister of Delhi [Rekha Gupta], under pressure, said that not a single slum in Delhi will be demolished, but on the other hand, asserted that the slums along the railway lines cannot be saved. He [Rahul Gandhi] urged the Delhi government to clarify its intentions towards the slum dwellers, instead of playing with the lives of the poor people,' Mr. Yadav said. Alleging that the Arvind Kejriwal government has locked thousands of flats constructed by the Congress under the Rajiv Rattan Housing Scheme, aimed at providing better living conditions for the poor, for 11 years, Mr. Yadav said, 'Those houses should be repaired and allotted soon to the residents of slums.' Meanwhile, on Saturday, Ms. Gupta inspected government flats built for economically weaker sections (EWS) in 2011 in Sultanpuri, which are in a dilapidated condition. She said that the government is working to meet the demand for one million houses.


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
PMK man detained for Facebook post against Tamil Nadu minister M R K Panneerselvam
Dharmapuri: The Pennagaram police on Sunday picked up a PMK functionary for making a derogatory remark about agriculture minister M R K Panneerselvam on social media on Saturday. In protest, PMK supporters staged a demonstration and blocked the road in front of the police station. They dispersed when police released the functionary after questioning. While attending Aadi Perukku festival in Hogenakkal on Saturday, the minister had commented on PMK leader Anbumani's padayatra, wondering what rights he was going to restore. "Is he going to restore his own rights by asking his father?" the minister had asked the gathering. In reaction, PMK functionary Muthulingam, of Eriyur in Dharmapuri, posted a derogatory remark against the minister on his Facebook account. DMK members, led by Pennagaram South union secretary Murugesan, lodged a police complaint, demanding the arrest of Muthulingam for his Facebook post against the minister. The Pennagaram police subsequently detained Muthulingam for questioning. On hearing about this, PMK members gathered outside the police station on Sunday and held talks with police. When police refused to release Muthulingam, the PMK members blocked the road in front of the police station, resulting in a heated exchange between police personnel and the PMK members. Police eventually released Muthulingam. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !