Congress president Sonia Gandhi is learnt to be interested in reviving a working relationship with the AIADMK's Jayalalithaa, with whom her relations have been far from cordial in the past.
N Rangasamy, nicknamed 'Junior Kamaraj' for his simple living and unassuming style, took sweet revenge on his former party Congress which unceremoniously removed him as chief minister of Puducherry. Sidelined by the Congress, Rangasamy felt humiliated and launched his own outfit All India N R Congress on the eve of the assembly polls and signed a poll pact with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalithaa made a spectacular comeback in Tamil Nadu on Friday with her victory is the 2011 assembly elections, crushing the corruption-hit DMK. AIADMK-led alliance was on the victory lap in 196 of the state's 234 constituencies and stunned DMK and its allies were set to get only 36 seats. Jayalalithaa and her supporters had every reason to celebrate.
Against the backdrop of Tamil Nadu parties, including ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, raising the issue of alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka, a group of 75 Lankan tourists have been asked by the police to return to their country.
A day after a chaotic meeting of the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, its Chairperson Murli Manohar Joshi along with National Democratic Alliance, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Biju Janata Dal and Left members are exploring the possibility of submitting the draft report on 2G scam to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar before its term expires on Ffriday.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo Jayalalithaa has declared assets valued at Rs 51 crore, both movable and immovable, in her election affidavit.
The Srirangam assembly seat, a traditional stronghold of the AIADMK that has elected the party nominees six times since 1977, is witnessing an interesting contest between Jayalalithaa, a two-time chief minister, and a political novice N Anand, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam nominee.
The Election Commission on Friday ruled out postponing the April 13 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu as demanded by major political parties, including the Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, saying every issue was factored in before announcing the poll schedule.
BJP national secretary Bandaru Dattatreya on Monday said the AIADMK's 'gameplan' of fielding the widow of deceased legislator S S Thirunavukkarassu at Kancheepuram and the son of murdered MLA K Sudarsanam had resulted in the party's victory.
Slamming the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka for being "determined" in denying Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Jayalalithaa on Monday said that her party would go it alone in the next Lok Sabha polls and secure all 40 seats in order to assert its rights in Delhi.
The government on Tuesday conceded the opposition demand for having 30 members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the 2G spectrum issue, giving up its earlier plan for a 21-member panel to accommodate smaller parties like All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, sources said.
Charging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with having 'silently watched' the 2G spectrum scam, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Jayalalitha on Monday said he was a "weak-kneed head of state taking cover under coalition dharma."
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Jayalalithaa on Thursday said nothing short of a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam was acceptable to her party. She claimed that former telecom minister A Raja's arrest showed that those backing him have now 'accepted his guilt'. "These parties had initially said Raja was not guilty. But they have now accepted his guilt, following his arrest," she told reporters.
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the execution of capital punishment upheld by it earlier for three All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers involved in the infamous Dharampuri bus burning incident, in which three college girls were burnt to death in Tamil Nadu in 2000.The order was passed on petitions filed by the three convicts -- C Muniappan, Ravindran and Nedunchezhian -- seeking review of the apex court's verdict last year.
Targetting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on the issue of continued attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday described him as "weak and ineffective" and asked him to quit if "doesn't know what to do".
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday reached out to Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to seek its support on the issue of foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Jayalalithaa on Wednesday rubbished reports that her party would have an alliance with the Congress for the coming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.Jayalalithaa told reporters that her offer of support to the United Progressive Alliance government during the 2G spectrum scam crisis was not for alliance with the Congress.Asked why she had started criticising the Centre of late, she said, "The AIADMK has always voiced its criticism."
The Supreme Court quashed on Wednesday a criminal proceeding against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, initiated for filing four nomination papers in the 2001 Assembly polls, and asked the Madras high court to re-examine its order to lodge the case against her.
A united opposition on Monday forced adjournment of the Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocation.As soon as the House met, Bharatiya Janata Party members stormed the well, chanting . 'We want JPC'. They were joined by members of the Shiv Sena and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Dr V Maitreyan, leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's parliamentary party, on Monday arrived in Delhi with ten Members of Parliament to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram. The group of MPs will seek extra protection by personnel of the elite National Security Guards for AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa, as she has received two threats to her life last week.
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the death sentence awarded to three All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers in connection with the 2000 Dharmapuri bus burning case, in which three college girls were charred to death. A bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and B S Chauhan confirmed the death sentence awarded by the Madras high court in 2007. The trial court had also held the three workers guilty and awarded the capital punishment.
The elections for the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha election is expected some time next week. The vacancy arose because the term of K Rehman Khan has ended. The Bharatiya Janata Party will take the contest seriously; much like it did for the Presidential and vice-presidential polls and may ask the Telugu Desam Party or the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to contest.
Party sources said both leaders discussed the present political situation and shared issues of common perspective.
Three AIADMK functionaries were awarded the death sentence by a lower court in the Dharmapuri bus burning case in which three college girls were burnt to death in 2000.
Justice K Suguna, while granting the interim stay, also ordered issue of notice, returnable by four weeks, to the secretary, State Legislative Assembly and chairman, Committee of Privileges and Stalin.
Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala may attend the meeting on behalf of the party.
A meeting of Nationalist Congress Party office bearers will be held in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss the coming Presidential poll as the party leader P A Sangma faces possible disciplinary action for remaining in the race going against the party directive.
Giving the thumbs down to the three-year-old United Progressive Alliance government, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said the country was in a "state of drift" and the situation was "almost" as if there was no government at the Centre. "The average citizen feels that there is no government at the Centre. The country is in a state of drift," the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief told reporters when asked to rate the UPA's performance.
Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, who is being backed by the Biju Janata Dal and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for the President's post, on Tuesday sought to reach out to political parties, saying he hoped they will respond "to the call of conscience of the tribal people of the nation."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has asserted that his government had no intention to "malign" All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo Jayalalithaa in the land grabbing case, even as she threatened to sue him for defamation on the issue.
In a reprieve to Jayalalithaa, a Commission of Inquiry has cleared the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief of land grab charges but indicted relatives of her close aide Sasikala for "glaring abuse of power" to obtain a title deed.
A united opposition stalled proceedings in the Rajya Sabha pressing the government to come clear on the name of a union minister alleged to have links with a Bangladeshi arms dealer.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday said her party was yet to decide on the ensuing presidential polls and nobody had approached her so far on the issue.
The campaign will reach a high decibel level next week when BJP state chief K Annamalai is expected to take up a blitzkrieg campaign against the ruling DMK.
Indian National Lol Dal leader Om Prakash Chautala will host the meeting.
The EC has asked the Chief Electoral Officer of the state to instruct the Returning Officers of Bhuvanagiri and Pudukottai to file cases before respective Magistrates against the AIADMK leader, EC sources said.
Party leader Jayalalithaa said protests would also be held in states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka and Puducherry, where her party was functioning.
The jeep, which blew up, killing 16 people, carried 200 kg of 'slurry explosives,' 150 electric detonators and 375 metres of safety fuse, Karunanidhi said.
This is the second time Jayalalithaa is resorting to a fast on the Cauvery issue.
For the second time in her political career, Jayalalithaa, along with her supporters, would observe fast in front of Valluvar Kottam, a memorial for Tamil saint-poet Tiruvalluvar in the heart of Chennai.