Page 17 - Tamil Nadu

Lok Sabha polls: DMK forces rival AIADMK to target BJP in Tamil Nadu

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami's soft approach towards the BJP seems to have given the edge to DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin in making it a poll issue. Stalin's double barreled gun aims shots at both the AIADMK and the BJP, often provoking Palaniswami to become a vocal critic of the BJP. The narratives set by these two parties have narrowed down the poll battle between them and almost eclipsed the election campaign of other players such as the Congress, the left parties, Seeman's Naam Tamilar Katchi, though BJP state chief K Annamalai fires sharp barbs at the DMK. Palaniswami's argument that the need to criticise the BJP doesn't arise as the AIADMK parted ways with the saffron party does not hold water with the ruling dispensation. Faced by constant criticism, Palaniswami, who in the past has not been harsh in criticising his erstwhile colleague and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, is forced to respond. Nor has he been critical of V K

Tamil actor Daniel Balaji, 48, dies of heart attack at Chennai hospital

Popular Tamil film actor 'Daniel' Balaji, known for his stellar performance, died due to heart attack, a hospital source said here on Saturday. He was 48. The actor, who was living in Thiruvanmiyur, complained of chest pain and was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Kottivakkam here. He, however, succumbed. "Daniel's sudden passing away is shocking. The agony of death at a young age is distressing," actor-politician Kamal Haasan said and extended his condolences to the bereaved family and friends. "Shocking to hear that #DanielBalaji is no more! A great actor gone too soon! My heart goes out to his family and friends," actress Keerthy Suresh said in a post on the social media platform 'X'. Daniel made his first appearance in a popular television serial "Chithi" and his character's name, Daniel, became his identity.

Vote for INDIA bloc for democracy, social justice: TN CM Stalin to people

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and appealed to people here to vote for the INDIA bloc if they want democracy and social justice to prevail in the country. Flaying Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Stalin said that if her claim of not having enough money to contest the Lok Sabha polls was true, the question is what happened to the fund the BJP received through electoral bonds. "Madam, if you want to contest the polls, you should meet the people and should toil hard for people's welfare. Since you know the result that the people will not vote for you, you have decided not to contest," he said. At a recent event in New Delhi, Sitharaman had commented that she declined the offer of the BJP to contest elections, pleading that she did not have the "kind of funds" required for the fighting the Lok Sabha polls. Canvassing votes for the DMK's Dharmapuri candidate A Mani and Congress nomin

SC to hear on April 1 bail plea of ex-Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on April 1 the bail plea of former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last year in connection with a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan is scheduled to hear Balaji's plea challenging the February 28 order of the Madras High Court dismissing his second bail petition in the case. The high court, while dismissing the bail petition, said that if he is let out on bail in a case of this nature, it will send a wrong signal and it will be against larger public interest. It said the petitioner has suffered incarceration for more than eight months and therefore, it will be more appropriate to direct the special court to dispose of the case within a time frame. "Accordingly, there shall be a direction to the Principal Special Court, Chennai, to dispose of the case within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of this order," it had ordered. The hig

Nine lemons believed to 'cure infertility' sold for Rs 2.36 lakh at auction

Nine lemons believed to cure infertility by locals are sold for Rs 2.36 lakh at an auction. Here is all you need to know

Maxivision Super Specialty Eye Hospitals eyes 100 facilities: Chairman

Maxivision Super Specialty Eye Hospitals has set up its fifth facility in Tamil Nadu, the 46th such facility in the country, set up under its expansion plan a top official said on Tuesday. The eye care provider has targeted setting up 100 hospitals by 2025, Promoter and Chairman GSK Velu said. Maxivision had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Tamil Nadu to set up eye care facilities in Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli and Salem, under its 'Project Velicham' initiative. The new facility in Madurai, spread across 8,000 sq ft was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P Moorthy in the presence of Maxivision Group CEO VS Sudheer, Regional Medical Director Shibu Varkey. "It is with great pride that we have opened our state-of-the-art hospital in the temple city. Currently, we have five centres in Tamil Nadu. With the inauguration of this centre, Maxivision Super Specialty Eye Hospitals now has a total network presence of 4

Feasibility check of four Indian states in pursuit of a $1 trn economy

Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra aim to achieve this milestone by 2027-28, while Tamil Nadu targets 2030-31 and Karnataka aims for 2031-32

Lok Sabha polls: BJP's fourth list out, Tamil Nadu candidates finalised

Lok Sabha polls: In its latest list, the BJP revealed 15 candidates, including 14 for Tamil Nadu and one for Puducherry. The party has fielded Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam from the UT

Swearing-in of senior DMK MLA K Ponmudy as minister likely on Friday

The swearing-in of senior DMK MLA K Ponmudy as a minister was likely on Friday, a day after the Supreme Court pulled up Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi over the matter, sources indicated. While there was no immediate official word on the matter, sources said the swearing-in of Ponmudy was likely to be held this afternoon. On Thursday, the apex Court had voiced "serious concern" over the conduct of Ravi for his refusal to reinduct Ponmudy as a minister in the state cabinet even after it suspended his earlier conviction. The SC had directed the Governor to decide on the issue within 24 hours. The Governor had refused to reinduct Ponmudy, whose conviction and three-year sentence in a disproportionate assets case the apex court stayed recently, despite Chief Minister M K Stalin's recommendation.

LS elections 2024: TN CM Stalin to launch campaign from Trichy on Friday

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin will launch his party's campaign for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls, from this central district on Friday. Stalin, a key leader of the opposition INDIA bloc, will canvass votes for the party-led bloc's Tiruchirappalli candidate, MDMK leader Durai Vaiko and the DMK's Arun Nehru in nearby Perambalur, according to the tour schedule of the ruling party chief. The DMK leads the multi-party Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which had swept the 2019 elections. It had won 38 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu then, besides the neighbouring Puducherry segment. Durai is the son of MDMK founder Vaiko and the Tiruchirappalli constituency has been allotted to the party by the DMK as part of the poll pact. Congress' Su Thirunavukkarasar represents the segment in the outgoing House. After launching his poll campaign from here, Stalin will embark on a state-wide tour, covering all 39 LS seats in the state, besides Puducherry, in the comin

LS polls: BJP releases third list, former Telangana guv among candidates

The BJP plans to contest 20 of Tamil Nadu's 39 seats. Its allies such as GK Vasan's Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), is likely to contest three seats, the Pattali Makkal Katchi will contest 10 seats

V.O. Chidambaranar port sets sight on mega investments like VinFast

This project includes the construction of two container terminals, involving preparatory work such as dredging and building a breakwater at the port

SC pulls up TN Guv RN Ravi for refusal to reinduct K Ponmudi as minister

Voicing "serious concern" over the conduct of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for his refusal to reinduct senior DMK leader K Ponmudi as a minister in the state cabinet, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed him to decide the issue within 24 hours. It said Ravi was defying the Supreme Court. The governor has refused to re-induct Ponmudi, whose conviction and three- year sentence in a disproportionate assets case the apex court stayed recently, despite Chief Minister M K Stalin's recommendation. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud wondered how can the governor say that Ponmudi's reinduction will be against constitutional morality. "Mr Attorney General, we are seriously concerned about the conduct of the governor. We did not want to say it out loud in court but he is defying the Supreme Court of India. Those who have advised him have not advised him properly. Now the Governor has to be informed that when the Supreme Court stays a conviction, it stays a conviction,

AIADMK names nominees for all 32 LS seats, set to fight in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu's main opposition AIADMK on Thursday released its final list of 16 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and also named its candidate for the lone Puducherry Parliamentary constituency. The AIADMK has completed the exercise of naming nominees and allotting seats to allies, and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is all set to launch his election campaign from Tiruchirappalli on March 24. In total, the AIADMK will contest in 32 segments and it has allotted seven constituencies to allies, the DMDK, Puthiya Tamizhagam and SDPI. Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha constituencies. For the Tirunelveli LS seat, Palaniswami announced Simla Muthuchozhan who was formerly with the DMK. She had unsuccessfully contested in 2016 against late AIADMK matriarch J Jayalalithaa from the RK Nagar Assembly constituency. Daughter-in-law of former DMK leader SP Sarguna Pandian, Muthuchozhan joined the AIADMK recently. An advocate, she is also the only woman candidate announced by the AIADMK for the Lok Sa

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK vows to repeal CAA if INDIA bloc is voted to power

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK, a key constituent of the INDIA bloc, in its manifesto released on Wednesday promised to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 if the opposition alliance wins the Lok Sabha polls. Restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and holding polls there, scrapping the New Education Policy 2020, slashing fuel prices, annulling Article 361 of the Constitution that provides protection to governors from legal action and appointment of Governors following consultation with Chief Ministers, were among the key promises made by the DMK. The recommendations of the M S Swaminathan committee will be adopted to ensure that MSP for agricultural products "is set at total production cost plus 50 per cent," the DMK said. Also, it announced that if voted to power, the INDIA bloc will withdraw the Agnipath scheme and reintroduce "permanent recruitment service" in the Indian Armed forces. "From now on, population census, including caste-wise census and census concerning people

Lok Sabha polls: Meta plans election centre, UPSC exam postponed. 10 points

Lok Sabha elections preparations have firmed up with the stakeholders announcing their progress. In view of the polls, UPSC and CA exams schedule have been revised to avoid clashes with polling days

PM Modi doesn't care about TN, did not visit during cyclone Michaung: Cong

The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that while he has been visiting Tamil Nadu frequently in the last few weeks, he has "historically paid little attention" to the state. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed questions for the prime minister ahead of his visit to Tamil Nadu's Salem and Kerala's Palakkad on Tuesday. "The prime minister is visiting Salem, Tamil Nadu and Palakkad, Kerala today. Some important questions that he must address: While the prime minister has been visiting Tamil Nadu frequently in the last few weeks, he has historically paid little attention to the state," Ramesh said. For instance, he did not set foot there during the Cyclone Michaung crisis in December 2023, he claimed. The chief minister of Tamil Nadu has repeatedly urged for the release of Rs 37,907 crore from the Modi government for rehabilitation and reconstruction after the cyclone, he noted. Does the prime minister plan to

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress, DMK finalise seat-sharing in Tamil Nadu

DMK will contest in 22 seats; Congress 9 seats; VC, CPI and CPIM will contest 2 seats each, while MDMK and IUML will contest 1 seat each

Governor's refusal to re-appoint Ponmudi as minister: SC to hear TN's plea

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a plea of the Tamil Nadu government against the refusal of Governor RN Ravi to appoint senior DMK leader K Ponmudi as a minister in the state cabinet. The governor has recently refused to re-induct the senior DMK leader and former Higher Education Minister into the state cabinet, saying it would be against constitutional morality. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the state government, there was some urgency in the matter which should be listed for hearing. Please send an email. I will look into the email, the CJI said. The governor, in a letter to Chief Minister MK Stalin, said the apex court only suspended the conviction Ponmudi by way of an interim order. The governor refused to appoint the leader in the Stalin cabinet. Recently, the state government reinstated Ponmudi as a legislator after the ..

After Madras HC's nod, PM Modi to hold roadshow in TN's Coimbatore today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow here on Monday, days after Madras High Court green-flagged the event, asking the police to allow it with reasonable conditions. The PM will take out the roadshow in the city's Mettupalayam Road and is likely to end it at RS Puram later today. This will be his first political engagement in the state after the announcement of the seven-phase schedule of the Lok Sabha polls. The district BJP unit had on Friday moved the HC against the local police denying permission to the PM event, citing, among others, the "communally sensitive" nature of the area, and the ongoing public exams. However, the court had dismissed the contentions and asked the police to allow the roadshow with "reasonable conditions", such as erecting no flex boards by the organisers. The BJP, with a newfound vigour under its aggressive state unit president K Annamalai, is making all efforts to make significant inroads into Tamil Nadu, the Dravidian heartland that has ..