AIADMK, BJP alliance speculations rife following Modi, Jayalalitha meeting
Monday, January 14, 2008

Chennai, Jan 14 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Narendra Modi on Monday met All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalitha fuelling speculations that their respective parties may join hands for the next Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting between the two leaders is being seen as the beginning of a realignment of political forces after Jayalalitha snapped her ties with the BJP in 2004.

The AIADMK had parted ways with the BJP after the 2004 poll debacle in which the DMK-Congress alliance swept the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.

However, BJP leaders squashed any such reports saying, though there were discussions about the current political scenario of the country, the meeting was personal.

"We discussed the whole range of the country's political situation. She was a very generous host. We thank her from the core of our heart," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Politics

Samy expresses ire over Karunanidhi snub
Saturday, January 12, 2008

New Delhi, Jan.10 (ANI): Visiting Malaysian Minister S. Samy Vellu attempted to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi thrice, and failed.

"I believe he felt slighted that I did not defend him when Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nazri Abdul Aziz, told him off and asked him not to interfere in the internal affairs of Malaysia in the aftermath of Hindraf's illegal demonstration," Vellu suggested.

Vellu said what Nazri said was to safeguard the good name of the country, and added that he was unhappy with Karunanidhi's attitude.

Samy Vellu, who is Malaysia's Works Minister, was quoted by The Star as saying that the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and India would not be affected by allegations made by the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) in November last year.

He added that he would explain the situation to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Politics

DMK's Tiruvarur District secretary killed in bomb blast
Saturday, November 17, 2007

Tiruvarur, Nov 17 (ANI): Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) Tiruvarur District Secretary, Poondi Kalaiselvan, was killed in a bomb blast here on Saturday. According to police, the incident took place at his residence when he was meeting some visitors.

Kalaiselvan succumbed to injuries in the hospital. As the news spread, tension prevailed in the district. Shops and business establishments in the town were closed. (ANI) -AJ

Labels: Politics

PDK protests killing of LTTE leader Thamilselvan
Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Chennai, Nov 7 (ANI): The Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) party today protested in front of the Sri Lankan Consulate here against the killing of Tamil Tiger rebel political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan.Protestors demanded India to stop its support to the Sri Lankan government."We are condemning the Sri Lankan government for killing the person who was participating in the peace meeting. We are also condemning the Indian government for giving aid to the Sri Lankan government economically, financially and also arms," said Thuraisamy, an advocate taking part in the protest.Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader Thamilselvan was killed in a Sri Lankan air force bombing raid last Friday.

Thamilselvan was LTTE's main interlocutor at the last round of peace talks with the Sri Lankan government in Oct 2006, and was the international face of the separatist group led by rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.The loss of Thamislevan is said to be a major big setback to any hope of peace talks in the near future, said a spokesman of non-partisan advocacy group the National Peace Council.An estimated 5,000 people have been killed since early last year amid near-daily land and sea clashes, ambushes and air strikes. The death toll since the conflict erupted in 1983 stands at about 70,000. (ANI) -AJ

Labels: Politics

No third front in future: Karat
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat clarified that he had no intention of creating a third front in the immediate future. Talking to reporters after calling on chief minister Karunanidhi, the CPM leader also said there was no threat to the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. There is no political crisis," he added. Asked about his meeting with the chief minister, Mr Karat maintained that they had discussed only about the Indo-US nuclear deal. We are interested in all political parties having a common approach to the nuclear issue when it comes up for discussion in the Parliament during the winter session, he said.

Labels: Politics

MLA Kalairajan approched Police for gun lisence
Sunday, October 28, 2007

AIADMK MLA and South Chennai district secretary V.P. Kalairajan approached the city police commissioner G. Nanchil Kumaran and sought his intervention in getting a licence to own a gun. Mr Kalairajan, who claimed that he was getting threatening calls at his house, said that he had applied for a gun licence with the city police a year ago. Though I am an MLA, some mobs attacked my native house in Orathanadu. I have also received many threatening calls at my house. My life is in danger. I am also practicing as an advocate for over 17 years. I suspect that the gun licence has been denied due to political rivalry, he alleged.

Labels: Politics

Karuna denies opposition charges

Chief minister M. Karunanidhi denied opposition charges that MDMK functionary Nanjil Sampath was unjustly detained and attacked in custody. He told reporters at the secretariat that Mr Sampath had made derogatory and unprintable remarks against him and his family. His speech provoked a confrontation between the DMK and the MDMK. Cases have been filed against both the DMK and MDMK men and Sampath has been arrested, he said. Asked about the alleged attack on Mr Sampath in prison by the accused in the Dinakaran attack case, the chief minister said he had enquired about it and there was no truth in it. Still I have directed the officials to transfer him to Trichy prison, he said.

Labels: Politics

AIADMK MLA temporarily disqualified
Friday, October 26, 2007

The Tamil Nadu Assembly temporarily disqualified AIADMK member A.K. Bose representing Thiruparamkundram constituency for insulting the House by throwing a cap on Speaker R. Avudaiappan. He has ceased to be an MLA till the first 10 days of the next session of the Assembly, a resolution adopted by the House said. When the AIADMK members protested the privilege motion against party general secretary Jayalalithaa on Thursday, Mr Bose had snatched the cap from a watch and ward staff and thrown it at the Speaker. If throwing a cap at the Speaker is a crime, snatching a cap from the watch and ward staff is a more serious crime. Insult to the Speaker is an insult the House. He has lost the morality to continue the member of the House. If he is allowed to continue as a member it will not augur well for democracy, said leader of the House and finance minister K. Anbazhagan, who moved the resolution.

Labels: Politics

AIADMK legislator suspended

Chennai, Oct.19 (ANI): An AIADMK legislator has been suspended by the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly till first 10 days of its next session for "bringing disrepute" to the house by snatching a cap from the watch and ward staff and hurling it at the Speaker. Leader of the House K Anbazhagan moved the resolution to suspend A K Bose who represents the Thiruparakundram Constituency for the Thursday's incident in the house.A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed by the House in which members of all parties, except AIADMK, MDMK and DMDK, were present.During the suspension period, Bose will not get any privileges, including the salary, accorded to an MLA.Anbazhagan said the AIADMK MLA snatched a cap from a watch and ward staff and hurled it at the Speaker R Avudaiappan, lowering the dignity of the chair and the house.He said the punishment was being meted out to "establish sovereignty of the assembly".Though all members wanted maximum punishment of disqualifying the MLA, the minimum punishment was awarded following Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's request, he said.Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the house on Thursday when AIADMK members made a vociferous protest against the privilege issue raised against the party supremo Jayalalithaa by Local Administration Minister M K Stalin.The house had also passed a resolution suspending all AIADMK MLAs for the rest of the current session. (ANI)

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Jayalalithaa to move court for protection

Chennai, Oct 17 (ANI): Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said that she would approach court to seek more protection, a day after an intruder was found inside her Poes Garden residence.The intruder was seen approaching the leader’s room when an alarm was raised by Sasikala, leading to the youth’s detention. The youth claimed that he was trying to meet the leader for getting employment."It was due to God's grace that I escaped yesterday,” Jayalalithaa today remarked at a press conference here, and questioned, “Will anyone seeking job come straight to the first floor of my house? How did the police personnel posted on security duty admitted him in?" She termed the Tuesday’s incident as a ‘sinister occurrence’, and indirectly hinted to a conspiracy launched by her political rival, the ruling DMK.“I (have) came to know that Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had recently advised his son and heir apparent M K Stalin to keep the present alliance intact till the next Assembly elections,” she said. Quoting her sources, Jayalalithaa claimed that Karunanidhi told his son, "If by any chance, you allow her (Jayalalithaa) to come back to power, you may have to suffer.” “To which Stalin replied that it is to happen only if she is alive at the time of next elections,” Jayalalithaa added. Jayalalithaa was provided with 'Z' plus security by the previous NDA Government in view of perceived threat to her life from Tamil extremist groups. (ANI)

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Dalit entry in Amman Koil temple

Prompted by CPMs temple entry programme for Dalits, hundreds of party workers of Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchigal led by its leader Thol Thirumavalavan attempted to stage a forced entry into the Draupadi Amman Koil in Salem where dalits are deprived of their right to worship. However, they were taken into custody and later released. Maintained by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) for the past four decades, the temple in Kandampatti that falls under the jurisdiction of the Salem Corporation has remained under lock and key since August following a simmering dispute between the dominant Vanniyars and the dalits of the locality.

Labels: Politics