Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Saturday condemned the petrol price hike and demanded that the government retain its control on the pricing of petroleum products, besides seeking a change in the pricing policy. Party chief M Karunanidhi said the issue had become similar to that of attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen -- allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy -- with political leaders issuing statements expressing concern during such incidents.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the Centre's ruling coalition had become "vulnerable" after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's pullout and that elections were round the corner.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday demanded an "independent and credible" inquiry into the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka even as she refused to comment on key United Progressive Alliance partner the Dravida Munnetra Kahzagam withdrawing support to the bgovernment at the Centre
Speaking in unison, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munettra Kazhagam and other parties in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday condemned the Centre's stand on continued training of Sri Lankan military, with All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam chief castigating government for 'insensitivity' and the DMK accusing it of hurting Tamils.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Nationalist Congress Party on Tuesday apparently took a dig at Rahul Gandhi's elevation in the Congress, saying the party had appointed a vice president whenever it faced serious problems.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Mamata Banerjee, who kept up the suspense till the last moment before backing Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential elections, on Wednesday attended Mukherjee's oath taking ceremony while no Chief Minister from Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states were present.
Toeing the Centre's line for cordial ties with Sri Lanka, key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munettra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Wednesday virtually blamed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for attacks on Lankan pilgrims, saying her action in sending back a football team from that country had led to the incidents.
As Parliament remained stalled on Wednesday for the second succesive day on coal blocs allocation issue, key United Progressive Alliance ally and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee suggested an all-party meeting to end the logjam.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Tuesday rejected the contention that the choice of candidate for the vice-Presidential poll was based on regional consideration.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Trinamool Congress has opposed the appointment of senior Congress leader Shankarsingh Vaghela as chairman of India Tourism Development Corporation with a cabinet minister rank.
Key United Progressive Alliance allies Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Saturday mounted pressure on the Centre to rollback the steep hike in petrol price with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee leading a street march in Kolkata against the government of which her party is a part.
Lambasting the Karnataka government for "stopping" the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on virtually demanded imposition of Central rule in the neighbouring state so as to "teach a lesson to stone-hearted" regimes on inter-state issues.
Slamming the Centre for taking a unilateral decision on formation of National Counter Terrorism Centre, key United Progressive Alliance ally and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said such institutions "upset" the federal structure of the country and was "not acceptable" to the state.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday said it would not nominate any party representative to the Union ministry to fill vacancies in case of a Cabinet reshuffle.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Tuesday demanded that the Centre should immediately scrap the training programme for Sri Lankan army personnel in the country, arguing that such exercises create doubts in the minds of people of Tamil Nadu about the government's intentions.
In a bid to evolve a consensus over the controversial Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday met leaders of various political parties with an assertion that his government was committed to an effective Lokpal legislation. In his initial remarks at the meeting, Dr Singh said, "Our government stands committed to an effective Lokpal legislation". Union ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, A K Antony and Salman Khurshid were among those present at the meeting.
The decision to allow 51 per cent foreign direct investments in multi-brand retail has been put on hold by the government following strong objections from the Opposition and key United Progressive Alliance allies Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday called up Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee after which the key United Progressive Alliance ally decided to attend a meeting of the ruling coalition in Delhi on July 14.
The proposal to allow foreign airlines to buy upto 49 per cent stake in domestic carriers originally mooted by the Commerce and Industry Ministry, has received a green signal from the Finance Ministry and the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Backing Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Friday slammed the demand for his resignation in the wake of a high court order rejecting his plea for dismissal of a petition challenging his election to Lok Sabha, saying it would not be proper to make such a demand without charges being established beyond doubt.
Joining the chorus against the steepest ever hike in petrol price, key United Progressive Alliance partner Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam on Friday announced a state-wide agitation on May 30, demanding a substantial reduction in the increase. The unprecedented increase of Rs 7.5 per litre of petrol has already sparked "spontaneous" protests by people against the government across the country, the party said.
The Lokpal bill is expected to be brought in the Rajya Sabha on Monday with some key amendments including removal of the provisions for setting up of Lokayuktas in states.
The drafting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee report on 2G scam could be delayed with key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam insisting on calling former Telecom Minister A Raja as a witness.
Union Agriculture Minister and key United Progressive Alliance leader Sharad Pawar on Sunday favoured a non-political candidate as the next President in view of the fact that UPA and National Democratic Alliance did not have the strength to elect their own nominee.
Strongly opposing major reforms announced by the Centre, key United Progressive Alliance constituent Trinamool Congress on Friday set a 72-hour deadline to the government to withdraw decision on multi-brand retail and diesel price hike.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday said naming of A P J Abdul Kalam in the Presidential race has led to chaos and reaffirmed its support to the Congress' candidate.
Close on the heels of the Ambedkar cartoon row, a cartoon on the anti-Hindi agitation in Tamil Nadu in the 1960s in a NCERT class XII text book has kicked up another controversy in the state, with key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam demanding its removal and other parties joining the chorus.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Trinamool Congress on Thursday night termed the developments in the Rajya Sabha while debating the Lokpal Bill as "orchestrated chaos" and a "black day" for democracy.
The guidelines regarding the decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in the multi-brand retail will be issued by next week.
Tension prevailed on Monday on Tamil Nadu's borders with Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam issue, with the police baton charging over 4,000 people who tried to forcibly enter Kerala even as key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam attacked the Centre, asking it to "at least now" take a timely decision to resolve the escalating row between the two states.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to allow 51 per cent FDI in the retail sector.
Against the backdrop of the finance ministry note on 2G spectrum pricing, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a key United Progressive Alliance ally, on Thursday maintained that the stand taken by jailed former telecom minister A Raja on the issue has been 'vindicated'.
The controversial Government affidavit on Below Poverty Line cap was condemned by Opposition today as an "insult and betrayal" of the poor and also slammed by a key United Progressive Alliance ally Nationalist Congress Party.
Mamata Bannerjee, a key United Progressive Alliance constituent, has put the cat amongst the pigeons by demanding that the UPA set up a co-ordination committee to discuss important issues and decisions before they are made and implemented. She said the recent petrol price hike was undertaken without her consent.
Defending Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Sunday that he found "nothing wrong" in the key United Progressive Alliance ally's statement that the killing of top Maoist leader Azad was not correct.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday opposed the fresh hike in fuel prices, saying it will put the common man in great difficulty.
With the attacks on the Congress allies increasing, whether it be Sharad Pawar in the IPL goings on or A Raja, the Union telecom minister who is alleged to be the beneficiary in the allocation of 2G spectrum, the government has had to put up a brave face in addition to mobilising its artillery to defend its ministers.
Opposition leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, met Speaker Meira Kumar and said if the government does not discuss the issue tomorrow itself, they would move an adjournment motion in the House.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party were on the same page on Sunday in their criticism of the Centre and the Congress over the handling of the Telangana statehood issue, which has spawned a crisis in Andhra Pradesh.
Sonia held discussions with Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan in an effort to break the logjam over the issue that has created a face-off between the Congress and the Left parties. The leaders of the UPA constituents conveyed to Sonia that they back the nuclear deal, but do not favour early polls, particularly because of high inflation.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances