Senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy has faced criticism, including from his own party, for his purported remarks on Shaivism and Vaishnavism. A video of the minister making the remarks has gone viral, leading to calls for his resignation. The BJP has slammed the minister and demanded his sacking, while DMK MP Kanimozhi also condemned the remarks. This incident follows an earlier controversy where Ponmudy linked north Indians with selling pani puri.
Family members of the temple guard have alleged that the cause of death of the 28-year-old was not natural, and he passed away allegedly after being beaten and tortured during police interrogation.
Arun Saharya, former chief justice of Punjab and Haryana high court, would head the committee.
Former Union Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Alagiri was on Friday suspended from the party on charges of going against the party's stand and airing divergent views on the issue of stitching an alliance with Vijaykant's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.
While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam contested it under the seven-party Democratic Progressive Alliance banner, her party contested the polls on its own, the CM said.
The ruling All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday retained both Kancheepuram and Gummidipoondi assembly seats in the byelection held on May 14.
The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of J Jayalalitha.
'Some statements and actions of the AIADMK are nearer to the BJP's ideology. We welcome it,' says Tamil Nadu BJP Chief L Ganesan.
Nachiappan, however, ruled out an alliance with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as it was a "replica of the Bharatiya Janata Party".
Opposition parties in India, including the Congress, Left parties, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), have unanimously hailed the armed forces' "Operation Sindoor", a retaliatory strike against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation, which involved missile and drone strikes, was conducted in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Despite political differences, all parties expressed support for the government and the armed forces, stressing the importance of national unity and integrity in the face of terrorism. While emphasizing the need for diplomatic avenues to prevent further escalation, some parties also called for caution in attributing political credit for the strikes.
The DMK doesn't have a Dalit candidate, the ADMK has.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Saturday said the proposed rally of the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in Bhopal in October has been cancelled, a move which Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed was due to the 'public anger' over remarks made by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders against Sanatan Dharma.
'Intense rivalry between the AIADMK and the DMK was standing in the way of the development of the state.'
Vaiko said MDMK had paid a heavy price for following probity in public life and honesty in politics.
Among the national parties, the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Communist Party of India-Marxist opposed the proposal, while the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National People's Party supported it.
But there is no serious threat because the NDA government has a decisive majority.
The result was also a shot in the arm for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam patriarch M Karunanidhi's elder son and its pointsman in the southern districts, M K Azhagiri, who spearheaded the campaign for Rajendran.
On Saturday, the government had, by mistake, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court supporting the Tamil Nadu government's application of POTA against Vaiko.
He alleged that the opposition parties, to divert attention from their defeat in the recent Assembly bypolls, had been making false allegations against the AIADMK and the EC had acted on these allegations and deputed two of its officials to enquire i
Stalin described his party-led coalition as the "Secular Progressive Alliance."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin urged newlyweds to have children immediately after marriage, citing a potential link between population size and the number of MPs a state receives. He argued that a larger population could lead to more seats in the Lok Sabha during the upcoming delimitation exercise, which would be based on population. Stalin also criticized the BJP's three-language policy and alleged the central government is attempting to reduce Tamil Nadu's representation in the Lok Sabha. He called for unity among political parties in Tamil Nadu to oppose these moves.
He said that Chief Minister MK Stalin has been implementing a number of initiatives through the HR&CE department since the DMK came to power in 2021.
A statement issued by the parliamentary affairs ministry earlier on Saturday said the all-party delegations will project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations.
Tamil Nadu people always vote differently for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Thursday allotted six constituencies to ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi for the April 6 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has reiterated the state's opposition to Hindi imposition by the Centre, calling it a 'mask' for Sanskrit. He also claimed that the National Education Policy (NEP) is being used to promote Sanskrit in many states, and that the Centre is trying to do away with languages like Tamil and impose Sanskrit. Stalin's statement comes amid growing concerns over the alleged imposition of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
'Vijay is badly politically wounded.'
Several opposition MPs on Wednesday greeted their Bharatiya Janata Party counterparts in Parliament premises with the tricolour in one hand and a red rose in the other, as they urged the ruling party to ensure that the House functions and all issues, including the Adani matter, is discussed.
Thirty four people belonging to Kallakurichi district have died following consumption of 'methanol mixed arrack', Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday.
A police complaint has been lodged at Barakhamba police station in Delhi, against 26 Opposition parties "for improper use of the name of INDIA and use of the said name for the undue influence and personation at elections."
The ruling DMK has already announced it will file a review petition against the November 8 five-judge Supreme Court bench upholding the 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections.
Catch all the action from the Upper and Lower House of Parliament.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday informed the Delhi high court that its appeal against the acquittal of former telecom minister A Raja and 16 others in the 2G spectrum allocation case was 'ripe for hearing'.
A day after Tamil Nadu law minister S Regupathy wrote to Ravi requesting him that he should 'not delay any further' his sanction to prosecute former AIADMK ministers and clear the 13 Bills pending with him for his assent, the Governor's office reacted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he was proud of the manner in which the multi-party delegations presented India's views in various countries on the need to eradicate the menace of terrorism following the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
In the last five years, 480 candidates with declared cases related to hate speech have contested elections to state assemblies, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the ADR said.
The Lok Sabha had taken up discussion on the Motion of Thanks, moved by Bharatiya Janata Party member Chandra Prakash Joshi, on Tuesday, after three days of disruptions in Parliament.
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr S Ramadoss has announced taking up the complete reins of the party, relegating his president son Anbumani to the role of working president. The move, announced ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Chennai, comes in anticipation of the 2026 Assembly election.
Tamil Nadu is set to protest against the National Education Policy (NEP) on February 18, with the ruling DMK and its allies announcing a demonstration. The state government has been at odds with the Centre over the implementation of the NEP and the three-language formula proposed in the policy. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dismissed the state's opposition as "politics" and asserted that the Centre is committed to implementing the NEP across the country. The DMK, however, accused the Centre of encroaching on the state's rights and using the office of the Governor to push the NEP.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances