Tamil Nadu will elect a new government on April 23.
Will the DMK retain power? Can the AIADMK spring a surprise? And what about Vijay's TVK? A Ganesh Nadar surveys the election landscape a day after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule.
The Shiv Sena-UBT is openly questioning the Congress party's leadership within the INDIA bloc.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday claimed that Governor R N Ravi 'insulted' the gubernatorial position he holds, by not reading out the speech at the commencement of the assembly session.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin pledges to double the monthly grant if his DMK party secures victory in the upcoming assembly election, aiming to empower women and secure their support.
Assuring a social justice-driven regime if voted to power, Vijay, addressing a rally at Seelanaickenpatti, in Salem, dramatically hit back at those who mocked at him by alleging that he merely stayed back at home, though claiming to have entered politics.
Paying tributes on the occasion of Language Martyrs Day, Stalin said, "a state that loved its language like its life, unitedly struggled against Hindi imposition; protested with the same intensity every time it was imposed."
'Had a wonderful interaction with them on their journey, shaped by perseverance, discipline, and self-belief.'
While the DMK depends on a 'silver sieve' of welfare schemes to stay in power, its support is slowly draining away under the weight of poor governance, corruption, and voters who are no longer satisfied with benefits alone and now want basic administration to work, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
'This has translated into a combined daily loss of 60 crore in revenues for exporters in Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Erode and Karur districts, pushing many small and medium enterprises to the brink of collapse.'
Former AIADMK Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, expelled from the party in 2022, has joined the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, marking a significant political shift.
Vijay termed the assembly polls due in April this year as a "surprising election" as all parties in the state are allegedly teamed up against him and reiterated that the contest was between the DMK and TVK only.
'We will give Rs 25,000 to parents having a second child or more at the time of delivery itself.'
Tamil superstar breaks silence, questions TVK leader's claim that DMK pressure forced him to quit politics.
'Stalin's intention is plain and simple.' 'The DMK wants to convert what is an 'incumbency-centred' election for the party-led alliance into one more 'Modi/BJP election' after Stalin's successive success in 2019 and 2021, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
The DMDK officially joined the DMK-led alliance ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, marking a significant political development in the state.
Senior Congress functionary Praveen Chakravarty has questioned the DMK's flagship women's assistance scheme, suggesting it's superstitious to believe it alone will ensure electoral success, citing examples of similar schemes failing to secure victories for other parties.
Allies DMK and Congress have finalised their seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, resolving earlier tensions over power-sharing demands.
The Jnanpith Award conferred upon lyricist Vairamuthu has ignited controversy within the Tamil literary community, with prominent figures like Jeyamohan and Charu Nivedita criticising the decision due to #MeToo allegations and questioning his literary merit.
The Deepa Thoon controversy, if not allowed to die a natural death, could take the election focus away from the anti-incumbency impacting the DMK and into the secular space. Stalin would love to have it that way, all over again, after the three past elections, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The counting of votes for all 824 seats across four states and one Union Territory will be held on May 4.
The Congress high command has intervened to manage discord within the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu, following controversial remarks by state leaders regarding power-sharing demands.
The Congress and DMK parties in Tamil Nadu are set to begin seat-sharing negotiations in a week for upcoming elections, with leaders from both parties expressing confidence in a smooth and successful alliance.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin on Friday asserted that "there will be no rest" until amending the Constitution to fix timelines for governors to clear bills.
After big win in Bihar, the BJP is likely to push harder in Tamil Nadu, where the DMK government and the uneasy BJP-AIADMK alliance are preparing for a tense election filled with seat-sharing fights, changing alliances, and the unpredictable entry of Vijay's TVK party, predicts N Sathiya Moorthy.
The DMK leads the multi-party Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu and the constituents include the Congress and the Left parties.
From founding fathers to Europe's most unyielding rulers, these figures have not just held office, they have established a cult of leadership and will leave legacies, mostly mixed, that few can rival.
Like his father Karunanidhi and AIADMK rivals MGR and Jayalalithaa, Stalin would like to confine his real political work to Tamil Nadu, and not want to take after the late Congress leader K Kamaraj and take up a national role, even if to create greater political space for son Udhayanidhi, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
In the fourth such instance, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the state assembly without reading his customary address after alleging that the national anthem was insulted, evoking a sharp response from Chief Minister M K Stalin, who dubbed his action as an 'insult' to the House and the people of the state.
DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran sparked controversy by contrasting women's education in Tamil Nadu with the situation in North India, claiming that women in the North are encouraged to stay home and bear children.
Jaguar Land Rover will begin assembling premium cars at its new Tamil Nadu plant on February 9, marking a step towards full-scale luxury car manufacturing in India.
CM Stalin assured that such a tragedy "should never happen" in the future either.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contacted Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and TVK party president Vijay following the Karur stampede, expressing concern and offering condolences. The incident resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, prompting investigations and compensation announcements.
Tamil Nadu's Jallikattu season draws to a close but not before acts of daredevilry by humans and animals.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday admitted that 'as of now, some assurances such as getting NEET scrapped', could not be fulfilled.
Senior DMK leader I Periyasamy reiterated that Chief Minister M K Stalin is firm against sharing power with allies, dismissing any possibility of a coalition government in Tamil Nadu.
''Women are coming into public spaces in larger numbers than ever before. They are educated, capable, opinionated, and determined.' 'But the more women push for access to public space, the harder they are pushed back -- through attacks like this, through discrimination, through the glass ceiling, through the deliberate denial of recognition.'
Rahul Gandhi and Kanimozhi met to discuss seat-sharing for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, but no agreement was reached. The Congress seeks a larger share of seats, while the DMK is hesitant to concede more than last time.
The Supreme Court said it would hear in 2026 the plea of Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for clubbing all FIRs and complaints over his contentious "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remarks in 2023 and transfer to one place.
'This Budget has a one-year agenda, which you can call the sprint, and the marathon is towards Viksit Bharat.'
Vijay, who spoke on the fishermen issues in nearby Nagapattinam, sported a green headgear and addressed farmers' grievances and sought an answer from CM Stalin.
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