The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has announced fresh elections for November 27, concluding a prolonged legal dispute over its governance. This decision follows an interim administrative arrangement and constitutional amendments in line with new sports governance legislation. Rajeev Sharma has been appointed Election Commissioner, and a task force will address AITA Trust issues.
In focus are the assembly polls in 2026. From a BJP perspective, their attack on the ruling DMK, using the 'Hindutva' card, and Annamalai's targeting of both Dravidian majors on corruption has not worked, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Tamil Nadu's ruling TVK and its post-poll allies have officially named their front the "Secular Social Justice Victory" alliance, with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay elected as its leader. The alliance, which includes Congress, VCK, and IUML, is preparing for upcoming bypolls on October 6, which will serve as an initial test of its strength. Leaders emphasised the alliance's ideological foundation rooted in secularism and social justice, aiming to protect constitutional values and oppose communal forces.
The BJP often forgets that in Dravidian Tamil Nadu, the voter does not mix religion, which is personal, and politics that is in the public sphere, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The BJP spent Rs 286.99 crore on the West Bengal elections, surpassing the Congress's total expenditure of Rs 248.55 crore across five states and a Union territory. The report details spending by major parties in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, highlighting significant financial disparities and campaign outlays.
Former BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai stated that a true Hindu treats everyone equally and emphasised his identity as a nationalist and Indian, keeping caste and religion private. He also predicted that young voters would bring significant regime changes in future Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, particularly in 2031.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist, which supports the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from outside and based on which the government survives, has alleged that the ruling party was distributing "money to secure votes" for the October 6 bypolls and it tops the list of parties that have given cash to influence the electorate.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Chennai on Saturday for the sixth edition of 'Chhatron Ki Goonj,' a youth outreach programme. He is scheduled to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, marking their first interaction since the formation of the SSJV alliance and TVK joining the INDIA bloc. The visit includes an unscripted interaction with students at Island Grounds, focusing on critical issues, amidst tight security arrangements.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly has adopted a resolution, moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, urging the Union government to permanently fix the Lok Sabha strength at 543 and implement 33 per cent women's reservation by 2029. The resolution also opposes delimitation that could disadvantage states successful in population control.
A meeting of Tamil Nadu MPs, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, unanimously decided to oppose the Union government's proposed delimitation exercise, demanding its complete withdrawal and an extension of the delimitation freeze for another 25 years.
'How does the person responsible for the leader's defeat stand before the leader, showing his face, without even a shred of shame, fear, apprehension, or embarrassment?'
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced that Rahul Gandhi would lead the INDIA bloc in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, dismissing reports of TVK proposing C Joseph Vijay as a prime ministerial candidate. Venugopal highlighted Gandhi's widespread appeal and campaigns on key issues, while also addressing internal alliance differences and criticising the BJP government's actions.
Launching his "Vetri Kodi Eandhi Tamizhagam Velvom" (Will Win Tamil Nadu Carrying the flag of victory) campaign from Suseendiram in this district, Shah said he was confident that a coalition government of the NDA will come to power in the state after the April 6 assembly polls.
The daily said the DMK president, in his address at the 'Mupperum Vizha' on June 15 in Coimbatore, "stood tall by dedicating the victory to the DMK cadres, workers of parties of the INDIA bloc and all the leaders" of the alliance parties.
In a state that usually plumbs for a Dravidian major, three candidates have a chance of delivering for the BJP, observes A Ganesh Nadar.
The AIADMK has stated it will not support the TVK in forming a government in Tamil Nadu, dismissing reports of a potential post-poll alliance.
This is the first meeting between Stalin and Sonia Gandhi after the DMK-Congress alliance was elected to power in the just-concluded assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a significant reshuffle of its state in-charges and co-in-charges across all 28 states and eight Union territories, with prominent leaders like Smriti Irani and Ram Madhav assigned to crucial states, as the party gears up for upcoming assembly elections.
Despite recent electoral losses to the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in both the April Assembly election and October 6 by-polls, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has demonstrated a robust and independent vote bank. Electoral data indicates that the DMK maintained significant voter support, securing its position as the principal opposition party and potentially a key challenger to the TVK in future elections, including the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The Election Commission reports a significant increase in seizures of inducements during recent assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu leading in cash seizures and West Bengal in liquor and drugs.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay issued a stern warning against personal attacks, double-meaning insults, and derogatory language targeting women, particularly in political discourse. Speaking in the Assembly, he recalled past humiliations faced by late CM J Jayalalithaa and condemned recent incidents involving women personalities, stressing that such behaviour would face immediate legal consequences. He also outlined his administration's vision for public security and zero-tolerance against crime.
Senior DMK leader KR Periakaruppan lost the Tiruppattur assembly seat by one vote to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's Seenivasa Sethupathy R in the Tamil Nadu elections. The defeat highlights the impact of individual ballots and the rise of actor Vijay's TVK.
DMK party cadres and leaders want Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi to be elevated as deputy CM, a move which will be a 'huge advantage' for the party in the 2026 assembly elections, a senior party leader said on Thursday.
Making several announcements in the assembly, Vijay, fulfilling TVK's key electoral assurances, announced three free cooking gas cylinders and also declared that the Parandur greenfield airport project will be shelved.
The Election Commission has announced a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union territories, including those facing assembly polls next year. This initiative aims to enrol new voters, correct existing entries, and enhance the accuracy of voter lists, with January 1, 2027, set as the qualifying date.
A case has been registered against DMK MLA P K Sekar Babu and his supporters under various charges, including attempt to murder, following a clash during the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Hours after Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje's assertion that the suspect involved in the March 1 blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe was from Tamil Nadu, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader issued a retraction and offered an apology.
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is actively courting Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party with strong Sinhalese nationalist roots, marking a significant shift in bilateral relations despite ideological differences. This engagement, highlighted by a recent high-profile visit by JVP leader Tilvin Silva, aims to foster cooperation on economic projects and address New Delhi's concerns over slow progress in India-aided initiatives in the island nation.
Non-compliant state units like Tamil Nadu and Haryana risk losing their voting rights in the BCCI but their cricketing activities will not be affected after the elections, COA chief Vinod Rai said.
'We are super excited and very emotional as it is his last film. We have been waiting for two hours for the screen to open.'
Small parties have the capacity to play both ends against the middle. Puducherry could be heading that way, points out Aditi Phadnis.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) led a large protest in Mumbai, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke announced a further protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Kumar does not step down, citing alleged voter deletions and irregularities in recent elections. The protest, which saw participation from various activists and public figures, also called for freezing voter lists and abolishing the 2023 law on Election Commissioner appointments.
The BJP state unit hailed Vasan and said his advice will be used in the coming days to guide the alliance.
'The last four years was not Dravidian rule, it was BJP rule by proxy.'
As leaders go, while Modi's visits to the state will be watched with curiosity, Rahul will need to be dislodged from the popular consciousness -- Tamil Nadu is one state where he's present, notes Aditi Phadnis.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government on Wednesday allotted over Rs 1,000 crore to provide gifts of gold coin, ring and milch cows to beneficiaries to fulfill the election promise made by the party ahead of the assembly election this year.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting as a 'weapon' for the ruling BJP, while MNS leader Raj Thackeray demanded the cancellation of Maharashtra's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, amidst a large protest march in Mumbai.
'If he has not achieved 'Congress mukt Bharat' even now, the question of his creating a 'DMK mukt Tamil Nadu' does not arise,' points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
'The Centre is using Panneerselvam.' 'He is not known for standing up for his own rights, let alone for the state.' 'He spoke only after he saw huge protests against Sasikala; otherwise, he would have just complied and continued to walk down the aisle.'
Change of guard in some states and evolving El Nino dynamics are triggering fresh actions on raging water-sharing disputes in several states.
