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LS elections 2024: DMK finalises seat-sharing with allies VCK, MDMK

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Friday finalised seat-sharing agreements with allies VCK and MDMK, repeating the 2019 pact with both parties. While the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) was allotted two seats, both reserved constituencies, the Vaiko-led MDMK was given one by the alliance's lead partner. In 2019, MDMK was also given one Rajya Sabha seat. The founders of VCK and MDMK, Thol Thirumavalavan and Vaiko, respectively, finalised and signed the seat-sharing agreement with DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin at the ruling party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, here. Thirumavalavan told reporters that the party will contest from Chidambaram and Villupuram, the two seats it represents in the current Lok Sabha. Thirumavalavan was elected from Chidambaram five years ago. The party had sought at least three seats, including a general category one, but settled for two reserved constituencies considering the political situation in Tamil Nadu and India and keeping in mind th

Seat-sharing talks smooth, no stalemate, will be signed soon: DMK's allies

Denying any glitches in seat-sharing talks with the ruling DMK, the Congress unit in Tamil Nadu and another ally, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, on Saturday said that a seat-sharing pact would be signed soon, amidst a stalemate in discussions. The allies also indicated that the parleys with the Dravidian major have been smooth. "Who said they (DMK) are unwilling to allot seats to us? The talks with the DMK are smooth and friendly. We will soon finalise the numbers," TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai told reporters here. When asked to specify the number of seats offered to the grand old party, Selvaperunthagai shot back saying all the 40 Lok Sabha seats (including the lone Puducherry constituency) in Tamil Nadu were the Congress seats and the party would fight the upcoming poll in that spirit. Asked if the DMK declined to allot the specific number sought by the Congress, he said his party's high command was in touch with the DMK leadership and the numbers would be finalised ...

China's flag on DMK's ad for Isro spaceport sparks political firestorm

Prime Minister Modi accused the DMK of putting its stamp on the BJP-led Centre's projects and trying to claim credit for them

Will meet you with good news: Kamal Hassan to make announcement on alliance

While speaking to reporters at Chennai airport, the MNM chief, referring to preparations for the parliamentary polls, anticipated a "good opportunity" adding that the election works are going well

Highlights of the day: India will become 3rd largest economy, says PM

LIVE updates: Catch all the latest updates from around the world here

DMK forms war room in Tamil Nadu ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Earlier, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, an 11-member election manifesto preparation committee was constituted in January this year, under the leadership of DMK MP Kanimozhi

Liquor set to cost more in Tamil Nadu from Feb 1: Check all the details

Tasmac said the price of 180 ml of regular and medium-quality liquor will be raised by Rs 10. For 180 ml of high-quality liquor, there is a price increase of Rs 20

We tolerated Nitish's Hindi push for cordiality in INDIA bloc: DMK leader

JD(U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said 'only Hindi should be spoken' and the party tolerated it for the sake of cordiality in INDIA alliance, DMK leader T R Baalu said here on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after holding seat sharing talks with Congress leaders here, Baalu, when asked on exit of Nitish Kumar from INDIA alliance said it appeared that right from the beginning he had 'some issues' and there would not be any electoral 'damage' due to his move. To a question about the 'Bihar Chief Minister's statement that nothing worked as per his plan in the INDIA bloc,' Baalu asked: "What did he plan? He did not spell out any plan, he said only Hindi should be spoken and only that (message) remains." Elaborating, Baalu, a Lok Sabha member said: "He (Nitish Kumar) said everyone should talk in Hindi. We tolerated it. Even then, we kept quiet, as a compromise, for the sake of cordiality in the alliance. It was said that English must not be spoken. This is an ordinary .

Nitish Kumar's exit from Mahagathbandhan 'gain' for INDIA bloc, says DMK

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit from the Mahagathbandhan alliance and consequently the INDIA bloc to align with the BJP is a "loss" for the Saffron party and a "gain" for the opposition alliance, Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK said on Sunday. Reacting to Janata Dal (United) President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's move, which is being seen as a body blow to the INDIA alliance, DMK spokesperson J Constandine Ravindran said, "People will never accept this act of betrayal." Ravindran told PTI: "Though Kumar is a veteran leader in Bihar, he has completely lost credibility. He has no integrity. Integrity and credibility are very important for a leader." Furthermore, he said: "Nitish Kumar leaving the INDIA bloc is a gain for us (opposition alliance) and it is a loss for the BJP. People will teach a lesson to Nitish Kumar at the right time." The JD(U) chief is shifting loyalties for the fifth time, Ravindran said, adding that Kumar had joined the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar only in ...

TN CM Stalin chants unity mantra for INDIA bloc's win in Lok Sabha polls

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said INDIA bloc leaders have to realise that when the BJP was rattled at the prospect of a win for the opposition alliance even at the level of a mayor poll in Chandigarh, unity among constituents will dislodge the saffron party from power at the Centre. In his address at the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi's 'Democracy will win' conference here, Stalin said the pages of history, to be written in future should say that INDIA alliance was formed and it captured power at the Centre. "This must be the history." Citing the postponement of Chandigarh mayor polls and the tie-up between the AAP and Congress there, he said the BJP-led Central government 'cancelled' even a mayor-level election as the scenario was ripe for victory and the media billed the later deferred civic election as the 'to-be first victory' of INDIA alliance. "When they cancel even a mayor level poll, the INDIA alliance leaders must realise the fear of the

Centre assures NDRF funds to flood-hit Tamil Nadu: DMK leader Baalu

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured to provide NDRF funds to Tamil Nadu affected by floods in December 2023, immediately after the inter-ministerial committee submits a comprehensive report to him on January 21, DMK Parliamentary party leader T R Baalu said on Saturday. Baalu, who led an all-party MP delegation from Tamil Nadu and called on Shah at his residence in the national capital, said he was hopeful that the Centre would disburse the funds. The delegation told the Home Minister that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin spent the funds from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for relief and rehabilitation of the people affected by unprecedented rains. "We told him to take speedy action on the memorandum submitted by our Chief Minister to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting Rs 37,907.21 crore for the massive damages caused due to Cyclone Michaung and unprecedented rain in the southern districts," Baalu told reporters. The sum included an interim relief of Rs ...

JSW Group to double investments in Tamil Nadu: Chairman Sajjan Jindal

Noted industrialist and Chairman of the diversified conglomerate JSW Group Sajjan Jindal on Sunday said his company is planning to double the investments made in Tamil Nadu across sectors over the next few years. Jindal, who is here to take part in the Global Investors' Meet organised by the Government of Tamil Nadu said JSW as a group has invested Rs 15,000 crore in the state till date. JSW Group has a presence in Tamil Nadu with its JSW Steel and JSW Energy businesses. Heaping praise on the ruling DMK government, Jindal said Tamil Nadu has been a pioneer in the development of industries and continues to provide the right ecosystem that nurtures entrepreneurship with innovation at its core. Tamil Nadu's growth across sectors, especially automobile, auto-components, fertilisers, sugar, textiles and Information Technology has helped position India as a frontrunner on the global map, he said. Jindal also remarked that the state has the highest number of factories manufacturing ...

BJP slams INDIA bloc over DMK MP's 'derogatory' remarks on Bihar workers

The BJP on Sunday hit out at the INDIA bloc over DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's alleged derogatory remarks on workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and said voters of the Hindi-speaking states will teach the opposition alliance a lesson in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP reaction came after a video clip of an alleged derogatory remark made months ago by Maran surfaced on social media. In the video clip, Maran purportedly said that people in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who had learnt "only Hindi", construct houses, clean roads and toilets in Tamil Nadu, after learning Tamil. "This is the scenario if Hindi is learnt." Reacting sharply to Maran's remarks, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "They should stop insulting (people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh) like this". Labourers from Bihar go to Tamil Nadu for work "due to the situations created by their (DMK) ally Nitish Kumar in Bihar," Prasad alleged. "But if someone does labour, will you insult

Tejashwi condemns DMK MP Maran's remarks on people of Hindi heartland

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday condemned DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's alleged remark that people from the Hindi heartland were cleaning toilets and doing other menial jobs in Tamil Nadu. Yadav said like his RJD, the DMK headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was a party that believed in social justice and it was unbecoming of a leader of such a party to have made such a remark. "Had the DMK MP highlighted caste iniquities, had he pointed out that only people from some social groups took up such hazardous jobs, it would have made sense", said the RJD leader. "But to speak disparagingly of the entire populace of Bihar and UP is reprehensible. We condemn it. We believe that people should be respectful towards those coming from other parts of the country", asserted Yadav. "We look upon DMK as a party which shares our ideal of social justice. Its leaders should avoid saying things that run counter to the ideal", said Yadav, who is known to share personal equatio

Lives were saved during cyclones due to world-class equipment: RMC Chennai

Amid the criticism that there was a delay in the forecast on the amount of heavy rainfall that occurred last week, the Regional Meteorological Centre here said it has world-class equipment and because of warning issued huge loss of lives was prevented when cyclones like Vardah, Michaung crossed the Eastern coast. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and a host of leaders from the ruling DMK had claimed that the India Meteorological Department failed to predict the accurate amount of rainfall in its forecast for the southern districts which faced 'historic' rains last week leading to severe flooding. Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, countered the comments by Stalin and said the RMC in Chennai has 'modern' equipment and is a 'state-of-the-art' facility and it had forecast 'heavy rains' in southern states well in advance. The RMC Chennai, in a statement, on Sunday said there were media reports that the centre did not have any modern equipment an

Rijiju criticises Cong, DMK MPs for questioning SC ruling on Article 370

"India is known for its diversity but if we allow Congress & DMK agenda to succeed, India will break up. Freedom of speech is not for self-determination," the Union Minister added in his post

Central team's appreciation endorsement of DMK regime's solid work: Stalin

The central government team that assessed damage due to rains and flood in Chennai and nearby areas, without any political ill-will appreciated the state government for its related initiatives and it is an endorsement of the DMK regime's hard work, DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Sunday. Writing to party workers, Stalin referred to the extensive work by the government to tackle cyclone Michaung; the preparatory storm water drain work, mitigation, rescue and relief initiatives. Stalin said party workers and functionaries also involved themselves in rescue and relief efforts and he continuously monitored relief work. In 2015, during the AIADMK regime, 'artificial flood' was created by releasing excessive water from the Chembarambakkam reservoir and as a result, vehicles could not even enter Chennai. However, days ago, after the cyclone crossed Chennai's coast, the traffic situation on Chennai's roads returned to normalcy. An official team deputed by the union ...

Court extends TN Minister Senthil Balaji's remand in money laundering case

A sessions court here on Friday extended Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji's remand till January 4, 2024 in a money laundering case. Principal Sessions Judge S Alli, before whom Senthil Balaji was produced by the prosecution through video-conferencing from the central prison here, extended his judicial custody till January 4. Balaji was arrested on June 14 by the ED in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the Transport Minister during an earlier AIADMK regime.

Lok Sabha security breach highlights: High-level investigation underway

The two men were overpowered by MPs and detained. Today, December 13, also marks the 22nd anniversary of the attack on the Parliament House in New Delhi

Meet Senthil Kumar, the DMK MP whose 'gaumutra' remark stirred controversy

The DMK Parliamentarian's comments drew criticism from political figures, demanding an apology