
DMK and ‘conspirators within' responsible for confusion within PMK: Anbumani
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said that the ruling DMK and 'conspirators within' were responsible for the ongoing intra-party confusion. However, he did not substantiate the charge. The DMK wants to electorally weaken the PMK, he claimed.
'Neither Ayya (his father Ramadoss) nor myself is responsible for all the confusion. DMK is the villain. Even within our party there are conspirators. DMK cannot do anything directly and face us on the ground. They want to break the party to win in the elections. They will not succeed,' he said at the PMK's general council meeting in Kancheepuram.
Mr. Ramadoss had earlier blamed Mr. Anbumani for giving him 'sleepless nights' and had termed making the latter the Union Health Minister (2004-09) as 'a big mistake'.
'Stalin betrayed Vanniyars'
Meanwhile, Mr. Anbumani contended that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin realised that the Vanniyar community will not vote for the DMK because of their 'betrayal' in the 10.5% internal reservations for Vanniyars within Most Backward Classes (MBC).
'DMK betrayed the Vanniyar community and Ayya for over four years. They kept saying that they will implement the reservations, over and over again. They lied inside the State Assembly, and outside. We have met him [Mr. Stalin] so many times and he kept on re-assuring us. What is stopping you [Mr. Stalin]? You have all the powers? You are the Chief Minister. You have the Backward Classes commission. You duped us. You made us a promise and betrayed us,' he alleged.
Acording to Mr. Anbumani, the Supreme Court had said that Vanniyar reservations can be given if it is backed with appropriate data.
'Are we asking this only for us? Give it to every community based on their population and social backwardness. They duped us. Now, after seeing the crowds gathered at the Vanniyar conference, Stalin got scared and understood that Vanniyars will not vote for him. So, now they are trying to weaken the party,' he said.

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


India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
'Popular' Yogi Adityanath, 'friend' Keshav Maurya: Decoding Amit Shah's UP speech
Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent visit to Lucknow sparked political chatter as he shared the stage with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. The event, held to distribute appointment letters to over 60,000 newly recruited police personnel, marked Shah's first appearance in the state after the Lok Sabha elections and was closely watched for signals regarding the BJP's political direction in Uttar the hour-long event, Shah sat at the centre of the stage with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on his right and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya on his the programme progressed, Shah was seen interacting with both leaders. However, it was his address that drew the most attention, particularly when he referred to Maurya as his "priya mitra" (dear friend) in Yogi Adityanath's presence. The remark gained significant traction on social media. While most viral clips focused on Shah calling Maurya his friend, they left out the earlier part of his speech where he praised Yogi as "the most popular (lokpriya ) and successful Chief Minister".With this, Shah seemed to make two key messages clear: one, that there is no question over Yogi's leadership in the state, and two, that Keshav Maurya remains an important and trusted figure within the BJP publicly acknowledging Maurya as his friend, Shah sent a clear message within party ranks that Maurya, despite recent setbacks, continues to enjoy the confidence of the top leadership. Shah's remarks also appeared to reassert Maurya's relevance as the BJP's most prominent OBC face in Uttar Pradesh, especially at a time when his political stature had seemingly diminished after losing his own seat in the Assembly elections and facing setbacks in his region during the Lok Sabha noted that Shah's speech not only reaffirmed Yogi Adityanath's place as the BJP's face in the state but also clarified that the party's future strategy would continue to revolve around key OBC leaders like Keshav BJP, which rose to power in UP with a carefully crafted caste coalition, appears to be returning to its old formula ahead of the 2027 BJP's renewed emphasis on OBC representation also comes against the backdrop of the opposition's growing focus on caste narratives. Akhilesh Yadav has repeatedly called the Yogi government a regime of a particular caste and has pushed the narrative of "Thakur vs PDA" (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak). Shah's subtle endorsement of Maurya, therefore, is also being viewed as a course correction to counter this opposition responding to Shah's speech, first took a swipe at the BJP on social media and later targeted the Yogi government during a press conference, pointing out the absence of Maurya in some posters and questioning the party's internal Shah's speech was also carefully aligned with the setting. Of the more than 60,000 recruits, 15 individuals representing various castes and communities received their appointment letters symbolically from the Union Minister. This caste-conscious selection was seen as a signal of the BJP's intention to maintain social balance and appeal across this visit, Shah appeared to have reset the BJP's political message in Uttar Pradesh. As the party looks ahead to 2027, the signal is clear: the top leadership stands firmly with Yogi Adityanath as the face of the government and sees Keshav Maurya as a vital part of its ongoing OBC Watch


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Karnataka students in Iran seek state government's help for evacuation
Bengaluru: Students from Karnataka studying medicine at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, reached out to the state govt for help to evacuate them from Iran. The students are currently with Indian embassy officials amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. The students are in constant touch with their parents. The state govt said one of the students and his parents in Bengaluru reached out to it seeking help in their evacuation. "Nine students are from Karnataka, of whom six are from Bengaluru. One student and his parents contacted us over the phone and expressed their fear and desire to return to India. Office of Non-Resident Committee vice chairperson Aarti Krishna wrote to the ministry of external affairs requesting it to take steps to immediately bring back the students. We are yet to hear back from them," said a senior official. "We are in constant touch with the officials concerned and are personally monitoring the situation," he said. "The students are unable to sleep at night. The conflict zones are 15-20 minutes away from their campus. They can see missiles flying over their hostels. They are extremely anxious and reached out to the university and the Indian embassy," said Fayaz Ali, father of a student in Iran and resident of Austin Town in Bengaluru. According to the parents, there are around 400 Indian students in the university. Exams were underway for the students. "They were supposed to come back by August after the exams get over. However, the exams stopped midway," said Shabab Zehra, mother of Nadeem Hussain. Nadeem is a second-year student at the university. "We are worried that the conflict will escalate and the students will be affected. We want them to come back safely as soon as possible," she said. "The embassy created a WhatsApp group with parents and students, and we are constantly kept posted on the developments. Currently, the students are being taken to a safer city," Fayaz said. Relatives in the state say there are students in other universities too. Hassan Abbas Syed, a class 12 student at Alipur, Gowribidanur, said his sister is pursuing her fourth-year BDS at Tehran University of Medical Sciences where there are three more from Karnataka. "They are being transported to a safer location in North Iran. One of their hospitals is very close to the conflict zone, and a blast happened quite close to it. When I last spoke to my sister, she said they have been instructed not to disclose the location but are being shifted and are in safe hands. Her internet connection has been patchy, and we have not been able to communicate frequently," he said. Union minister HD Kumaraswamy said on X that he spoke to several Kannadigas stranded in Israel via video calls and enquired about their well-being and safety. "I assured them of taking urgent steps to ensure their safe and speedy return to their homeland and will hold talks with @MEAIndia." He said he informed the students that the Union govt has taken "all necessary measures for the safety of Indian citizens in conflict-affected foreign countries..."


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Shah launches Assam flood atlas, other disaster mgmt tools
Guwahati: Union home minister on Monday launched the Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER), National Database for Emergency Management Lite 2.0 (NDEM Lite 2.0), and Flood Hazard Zonation Atlas of Assam. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Shah later wrote on X that these "will equip our disaster management apparatus with the speed and precision of the new age technologies." The ICR-ER will prompt real-time response to disasters across the nation by streaming satellite data to rescue agencies, and the NDEM Lite 2.0 will provide our response forces spread across nooks and corners with the agility to confront any calamity as a single unit. Shah added, "The atlas of Assam will guide our flood control authorities to realise the goal of flood mitigation by providing them with instant data related to floods, their impact, and water levels in rivers." The comprehensive mapping tool is expected to revolutionise how Assam's disaster management authorities respond to flood situations by providing immediate access to crucial information about water levels, flood patterns, and potential impact zones. This real-time data capability could prove instrumental in early warning systems and evacuation planning for the state's vulnerable populations. Speaking at the conference, Shah highlighted India's growing prominence in global disaster management, crediting the collaborative efforts of key national institutions. "In the past 10 years, because of the contributions of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), India is moving towards becoming a global leader in the field of disaster management," Shah stated. The minister also issued a nationwide directive to enhance disaster preparedness at the grassroots level, emphasising the critical importance of local planning. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He mandated that every relief commissioner across the country must prepare a 'District Disaster Management Plan' for their respective districts within the next 90 days. "Until a district has its disaster management plan in place, we cannot respond swiftly in the face of a disaster," reiterated Shah, underlining the need for comprehensive preparedness at the district level to ensure rapid and effective disaster response.