Actor Vijay says 2026 will see new party win like 1967, 1977 Tamil Nadu polls
A decade later, in the 1977 elections, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), under the leadership of its founder MG Ramachandran defeated the DMK. MGR was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time, marking another major political transition in the state.He added, 'The way to win elections is city to city, street to street, and door to door campaign. That is why this app MYTVK is released. After this I will be at the Madurai manadu, meeting people and travelling. People are with us. Good things will happen. Victory is certain.'The MYTVK app, launched on Wednesday, will be used for a state-wide membership enrollment drive and real-time monitoring of booth-level agents. The party has set an ambitious goal of enrolling two crore primary members and five crore people inclusive of their family members. 'Every family in Tamil Nadu must be enrolled into the party through the app. Booth level agents are deployed for this,' Vijay said, adding that the app will be functional from August 15.With this app, Vijay will be able to monitor enrollment numbers across the state in real-time from his phone. The initiative is part of TVK's grassroots mobilisation strategy as it prepares for its electoral debut in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections.- Ends
IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
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Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
BJP appeals to DMK, INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu to support Radhakrishnan for VP
Chennai: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has put the ruling DMK and INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu in a tight spot by urging them to support the nomination of Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan to the post of vice-president. BJP state president Nainar Nagendran on Monday said it was a 'historic moment' that Radhakrishnan, 'the son of Tamil soil', had been chosen for the vice presidential polls. The NDA on Sunday announced Maharashtra governor C P Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the vice-presidential poll scheduled for September 9. (PTI) 'This is not merely a political decision, but a proud recognition for all Tamil people. If history records that every party, rising above political boundaries, supported this honour being bestowed on a Tamil leader, it will be remembered as a milestone in healthy politics. Therefore, I sincerely appeal to all leaders and members of the INDI Alliance in Tamil Nadu to rise above party lines and extend their support,' he said. The NDA on Sunday announced C P Radhakrishnan, serving as the Maharashtra governor, as its candidate for the vice-presidential poll scheduled for September 9. BJP's ally and Tamil Nadu's principal opposition AIADMK thanked the national party's leaders for choosing a politician from Tamil Nadu as the VP nominee. The DMK has 22 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha. Even though the NDA does not require their support in terms of numbers, the BJP is appealing to the Dravidian party and its allies (Congress, Vidhuthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, CPI (M), CPI, etc) to rise above politics and support a Tamilian. Interestingly, Radhakrishnan had met chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin in his Chennai residence, a week ago, on August 11. The leaders at the time had said that Radhakrishnan met him to enquire about Stalin's health since he had been hospitalised for a week and discharged in July. Radhakrishnan hails from the Gounder community in the western region which has historically been the citadel of the AIADMK, where the DMK is gaining ground recently. AIADMK general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) also belongs to the Gounder community, as does former BJP state president K Annamalai. Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruppur and elected twice from Coimbatore - the only pocket where the BJP has its own support base in the state, which has been successively ruled by either the DMK or AIADMK since 1967. Having roots in the RSS in Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan was formerly the state president of the BJP unit. He was first elected from the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat in 1998 following the bomb blasts in Coimbatore city that year ahead of L K Advani's visit. He retained the seat the following year. Radhakrishnan's nomination comes at a time when Tamil Nadu faces assembly elections next year and the DMK has been criticising the BJP for being anti-Tamil. The BJP has been trying to make inroads into the southern state and Radhakrishnan's nomination seems to be another outreach to the Tamil population. DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said that BJP's decision to nominate Radhakrishnan will not influence voters. He cited the example of former BJP state president L Murugan who despite being made Union minister from the Upper House lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu. 'Radhakrishnan is an RSS man. What benefit can be brought to the people of Tamil Nadu? People of Tamil Nadu can see through what the BJP is doing,' he said. Nagendran's meeting with superstar Rajinikanth at his Chennai residence on Monday also set off speculation of roping in the actor's support since he is known to lean towards the right wing in a state where film stars straddle politics. Rajinikanth was backed by the BJP to make his political debut in the 2021 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu but after several fits and starts, he backed out. His mass influence has swayed elections in Tamil Nadu like in 1996 when the AIADMK lost after he said that 'Even God can't save Tamil Nadu' if J Jayalalithaa wins again. Nagendran said he met the actor to wish him upon completing 50 years in the film industry. 'An artist who has ruled the Indian film industry for half a century, with sacred ash on his forehead and patriotism in his hearts, he remains an everlasting national actor,' Nagendran said.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Congress claims vindication after PM Modi proposes next-gen GST reforms
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New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Scare for MPs, passengers as Kochi-Delhi Air India Express flight aborts take-off
KOCHI: A Delhi-bound Air India Express flight carrying 190 people, including three Kerala MPs, aborted take-off at Cochin International Airport late on Sunday night after unusual vibrations were detected from its engine, triggering anxious moments for passengers. Flight AI 504, with 185 passengers and five crew members, had begun its take-off roll at 10:40 pm when the pilot reportedly sensed a strong vibration and immediately discontinued the attempt. The aircraft was then taxied back to Bay 1R. Congress MPs Hibi Eden, Jebi Mather, and Anto Antony, travelling to Delhi to attend the Parliament session, were among those on board. Hibi, who was quick to share updates on social media, wrote: 'Something unusual with this flight AI 504... it just felt like the flight skidded on the runway... and hasn't taken off yet.' His wife, Anna Linda Eden, also on the flight, said the experience felt like 'a sudden jolt almost like a strong braking action.' Airport officials said passengers were disembarked and later accommodated on an alternative aircraft that departed at 2.45 am Monday with 162 passengers. Confirming the incident, Air India Express said the cockpit crew acted in line with Standard Operating Procedures after detecting an unusual sound during the take-off roll. 'The flight was brought back for checks, and an alternative aircraft was deployed. Our ground team in Kochi provided immediate assistance to the passengers,' the airline said in a statement. The airline added that the aircraft was taken to the Kochi hangar for examination. 'We regret the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen situation. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew remain our top priority,' it said. Though no injuries were reported, several passengers described the aborted take-off as a frightening experience, especially given the sudden jolt and confusion inside the cabin.
