Tag: AIADMK

India’s regional parties turn poorer, but DMK and TRS ring in the moolah

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India’s regional parties turned Rs 172 crore poorer in FY18 when compared to the previous year, a study by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed.

A total of 34 regional parties, the study said, declared an income of Rs 236.86 crore for FY18, which points to a decrease of 42 percent when compared to a reported income of Rs 409.64 crore the previous fiscal.

A total of 11 regional parties including big names like the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed’s PDP do not have their audit reports on the Election Commission of India, ADR India’s report said.

In all, 37 regional parties declared a net income of Rs 237.27 crore. Leading the list, as it did last year was the Samajwadi Party (SP), which reported the highest income of Rs 47.19 crore. However, the figure was 43 percent lower than the Rs 82.76 crore in income that it reported for FY17.

Two new entrants have made their way to the top three richest regional parties. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) reported an income of Rs 35.75 crore and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) said it earned Rs 27.27 crore, in FY18, taking both parties to the number two and three slots.

The total income of the top three regional parties — SP, DMK and TRS — totals to Rs 110.21 crore, which is 46.45 percent of the total income of 37 regional parties who declared their earnings.

Both, the DMK and TRS, pushed incumbent number two for FY17, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), to number four. The TDP declared an income of just Rs 19.4 crore for FY18 in comparison to its whopping Rs 72.92 crore income that it declared last fiscal.

Interestingly, the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which sat pretty at number three in FY 17, doesn’t feature in the top five for FY18 with just Rs 12.73 crore in declared income, which is merely 26 percent of its reported Rs 48.88 crore income for FY17.

When it came to spending, the study revealed that top earners were pretty liberal with the purse strings as well. The Samajwadi Party spent Rs 34.5 crore in FY 18, which accounted for 20 percent of all regional parties’ spending, followed by the DMK, which spent Rs 27.47 crore. It’s reportedly meagre earnings notwithstanding, the TDP ended up spending a decent Rs 16.73 crore in the fiscal.

While the bulk of all parties’ income (36.5 percent) was generated through “membership fees” totalling to Rs 86.6 crore, “voluntary contributions or donations” came a close second with 32.58 percent of the total income of Rs 237 crore accounted for, by this head. Only the Janta Das Secular (JDS) reported that it received Rs 6.03 crore through electoral bonds.

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BJP to contest 5 LS seats as part of AIADMK-led alliance in TN

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP Tuesday sealed an alliance for the coming Lok Sabha elections under which the saffron party would contest five of the 39 seats in the state.

The announcement was made by AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and Union Minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal, party election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, with both describing it as a “mega alliance and a victorious coalition”.

The coming Lok Sabha polls is the first major electoral battle for the AIADMK after the demise of its charismatic leader J Jayalalithaa in December, 2016.

Goyal expressed confidence that the alliance would win all 40 seats, including the lone constituency in neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, “as a mark of respect to late Jayalalithaaji, the honourable Amma.”

The pact was reached after the second and final round of discussions held here by leaders of the two parties that also involved Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

“I am extremely delighted that today the AIADMK and the BJP have concluded very fruitful discussions and we have agreed to contest the Parliament elections both in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the bypolls to 21 assembly seats together in alliance,” Goyal told a large gathering of mediapersons.

The alliance would be under AIADMK in Tamil Nadu while at the national level the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will steer the NDA coalition, he said here.

Panneerselvam said: “It was decided to face the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry by forging a mega, victorious alliance. I am happy to announce that the BJP has been allotted five Lok Sabha seats under the poll pact.”

He said the BJP would extend its full support to the AIADMK in the bypolls expected to the 21 constituencies as part of the agreement.

The AIADMK-BJP alliance was firmed up hours after the Dravidian party clinched a deal with the Paatali Makkal Katchi, alloting seven seats to it.

PMK has a significant clout in northern and western parts of the state where the dominant most backward Vanniyar community forms its key support base.

It was not clear yet how many seats the AIADMK would contest as some more parties, including DMDK of actor-turned politician Vijaykant, were likely to be included in the alliance.

The tie-up with BJP and PMK is for both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Panneerselvam said.

The details about the constituencies to be alloted to the alliance partners would be announced later, the AIADMK said.

Besides Goyal, Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan were among those who represented the party in the talks with the AIADMK’s five-member seat sharing committee led by senior leader K P Munusamy at a star hotel here.

Palaniswami, co-coordinator of AIADMK, and Panneerselvam joined the negotiations and finalised the deal.

The first round of talks were held on Feb 14.

In the 2014 parliament elections, AIADMK under the leadership of Jayalalithaa had won 37 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu contesting alone.

BJP had faced the elections heading a seven-party rainbow coalition of regional parties, including PMK and MDMK of Vaiko, but the combine managed to win only two seats.

BJP’s Pon Radhakrishnan was elected from Kanyakumari in southern Tamil Nadu while former union health minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss emerged winner from Dharmapuri, in western region.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

AIADMK clinches Lok Sabha poll deal with PMK

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The ruling AIADMK on Tuesday announced a poll alliance with the Pattali Makkal Katchi and allotted seven Lok Sabha seats to it for the forthcoming Parliamentary elections.

Announcing the deal in the presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said it has also been decided that the PMK will be allocated a Rajya Sabha seat.

Under the deal, the PMK will be supporting the AIADMK in the bypolls expected to 21 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, he said.

A formal agreement in this regard was signed between the leadership of the two parties in a city hotel.

PMK founder leader S Ramadoss described the coalition as “an alliance for people’s welfare, a mega coalition and a victorious alliance.”

“To retrieve the rights of Tamil Nadu people, we have made a 10-point charter of demands,” Ramadoss said.

The demands include declaring the Cauvery delta districts as a protected farm region, a caste wise census be held in Tamil Nadu and seven Rajiv case convicts be set free.

“This coalition will be successful in all the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry,” he said.

The rationale for aligning with the AIADMK will be explained by his son and former Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss later, he said.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi to Tamil Nadu BJP workers: ‘We cherish our old friends & our doors are always open for parties’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always welcomed alliances.

PM Modi’s response came when he was interacting with BJP workers from Arakkonam, Krishnagiri, Erode, Cuddalore and Dharampur in Tamil Nadu through his NaMo app.

A BJP worker asked PM about rumour that the party may ally with AIADMK or Rajnikanth or DMK, he said, “20 years ago, Atalji brought a new culture of successful coalition politics in Indian politics. BJP has always followed the path Atalji showed us. Strong NDA is an article of faith, not a compulsion,” ANI quoted PM as saying during the interaction.

“Even when BJP won majority on its own, we preferred to run govt with our allies. We cherish our old friends and our doors are always open for parties. But more than political issues, winning alliance is alliance with people,” it added.

PM on being asked about rumour that BJP may ally with AIADMK or Rajinikanth or DMK:20 yrs ago, Atal Ji brought a new culture of successful coalition politics in Indian politics.BJP has always followed the path Atal Ji showed us. Strong NDA is an article of faith, not a compulsion pic.twitter.com/jZQThe5y0J

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2019

During his interaction, PM Modi also shared his government’s development report card especially in relation to Tamil Nadu. Modi said more than 47 lakh toilets were built in Tamil Nadu with more than 12,000 villages were declared open defecation free in the last four years.

More than 27 lakh women have got some-free lives with Ujjwala LPG connections in Tamil Nadu, the PM said.

The Prime Minister didn’t miss the occasion to target the Congress party. He said apart from corruption and the mismanagement of the economy, the Congress did deep damage to our armed forces.

For decades, they had made the defence sector a den of brokers and middlemen, the PM added.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Parties across board support quota bill; opposition questions its timing

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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All major parties supported the passage of a bill for providing 10 percent quota for economically weaker sections, even as opposition raised questions about the haste shown by the government months ahead of Lok Sabha polls and about the judicial scrutiny of the new legislation.

While few parties such as RJD and AIADMK opposed it and AAP abstained from the voting on the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the main opposition party Congress and several others including SP, BSP and TMC voted in support, even as many wondered how it will benefit the people when jobs were shrinking.

A day after the Lok Sabha approved the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Rajya Sabha passed the law with 165 voting in favour and 7 against.

Applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire Union Cabinet for passage of the bill by Parliament, BJP chief Amit Shah thanked members of all parties who supported the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Union Finance Minister and Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said this endeavour of the Modi government ensures social justice and empowerment for all.

Echoing similar sentiments, Union minister Smriti Irani said today is a historic day and we all have become a part of constitutional history of the country and questioned why opposition did not bring such constitutional security for the poor.

Union Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot, who tabled the bill in the Rajya Sabha, said in the next few days the government will conclude all formalities for the implementation of the bill.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel termed the bill as an “election gimmick” and expressed concern over its implementation as it was brought in haste.

“The government has not done any homework for this important legislation and I am worried about its implementation,” Patel said.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who abstained from the voting, described it as stabbing knife in back of common man.

Parliament on Wednesday approved amending the Constitution to provide 10 percent reservation to general category poor in jobs and education with the government terming the landmark move as “slog over sixes”.

In the last leg of the legislative process, the bill will now go to the President for approval.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Jayalalithaa remembered on second death anniversary

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was remembered on her second death anniversary Wednesday with top AIADMK leaders O Pannnerselvam and K Palaniswami leading the party men in paying tributes to her.

Clad in black shirts, Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, AIADMK coordinator and joint coordinator, respectively, led a silent march from Anna Salai to Marina beach, where the former AIADMK supremo was laid to rest.

Senior cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs besides scores of party supporters most of whom were clad in black joined Panneerselvam and Palaniswami.

Palaniswami is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu while Pannerselvam is his Deputy.

After 75 days of hospitalisation, Jayalalithaa died of cardiac arrest on December 5, 2016.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Massive relief for Tamil Nadu government as High Court upholds sacking of 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a huge relief to the AIADMK government, the Madras High Court on Thursday upheld the June 14 order of the then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee disqualifying its 18 rebel MLAs loyal to sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran.

An adverse judgement could have triggered a political realignment in Tamil Nadu and brought the ruling party perilously close to losing the majority in the state assembly whose effective strength is 232. Two seats are vacant.

The 18 AIADMK MLAs were disqualified on September 18 last year under the anti-defection law after they met the governor and expressed loss of confidence in Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

A division bench of the court comprising Banerjee and Justice M Sundar had delivered a split verdict on June 14.

Banerjee had upheld Speaker P Dhanapal’s order disqualifying them, while Sundar had passed a dissenting judgement.

The Supreme Court had then appointed Justice M Sathyanarayanan to hear the matter.

Justice Sathyanarayanan Thursday said there was no infirmity in Dhanapal’s order which was upheld by Banerjee.

“All the material that were availble at the time of passing of the order by the Speaker alone have been taken into consideration and this court cannot go into the subsequent events,” the judge observed, upholding the disqualification.

The judge said he had delivered his “independent view” on the matter and not gone by those expressed by the two judges who heard it earlier.

In her 200-page June 14 order, Banerjee had upheld Dhanapal’s decision, saying: “In my opinion, the view taken by the Speaker is a possible, if not plausible view, and I am unable to hold that the said decision is any way unreasonable, irrational or perverse.”

Justice Sundar, in his 135-page judgement delivered separately, struck a dissenting note, insisting that Dhanapal’s order “deserved to be set aside on grounds of perversity, non-compliance with principles of natural justice, mala fides and violation of the constitutional mandate”.

Banerjee had said the petitioners were given chance to present their case but they chose not to appear before the Speaker, and as such, they cannot complain of breach of audi alteram partem (hear the other side) rule.

Justice Banerjee said she also found “substance” in the contention of the government that if the effect of withdrawal of support and calling for initiation of constitutional process (against the chief minister) meant fall of the government, it would imply relinquishment of membership of the party, and attract provisions of the disqualification law.

Justice Sundar, however, said the entire controversy could have been put to rest had the Speaker conceded the plea of the petitioners to allow them an opportunity for cross examination and give oral evidence. He had said that the Speaker’s order, even if legally correct, deserved to be set aside for mala fides (in bad faith).

Thursday’s verdict came as a massive relief for the Palaniswami government as the restoration of the membership of the rebel MLAs could have set off a realignment in the state’s politics with the Dhinakaran camp likely joining hands with the opposition DMK and bringing it dangerously close to losing majority.

The DMK and its allies the Congress and IUML together have 97 MLAs, and with the 18 rebel AIADMK forging an alliance with them besides independent legislator Dhinakaran himself, their strength would have risen to 116, which is equal to that of the ruling party.

Two assembly seats are vacant, including Thiruvarur, which was represented by DMK patriarch the late M Karunanidhi.

Reacting to the verdict, Dhinakaran, who now heads the AMMK after being sidelined in the AIADMK, said he would consult the MLAs loyal to him before deciding whether to go in appeal in the Supreme Court.

“We expected a favourable verdict but it is not a setback. I will consult the 18 MLAs on whether to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. Personally, my feeling is we should go for byelections,” he said.

Dhinakaran asserted his loyalists will sweep the bypolls. “The court’s judgement is different and people’s judgement is different,” he said, claiming his party and those loyal to it will emerge stronger after the verdict.

Ther AIADMK hailed the judgement, calling it a “just order”.

Party spokesperson P Valarmathi expressed joy over the verdict and said the Palaniswami government has now proved that it is “stable”.

“We are very happy…this is a just order,” Valarmathi told PTI.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Elections, party unity and credibility on MK Stalin’s checklist

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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“En uyirinum melana anbu udanpirapugale (my brothers who I love more than life itself),” MK Stalin began, in his first address to party workers as president of the DMK.

You couldn’t help but feel the clock wind back to decades ago when DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi began making that customary salutation his own.

For a state whose politics has been defined by iconic leaders and emotive electioneering, the DMK’s new president has learned fast.

For Tamil Nadu’s oldest political party, Stalin is only the DMK’s second president. Karunanidhi held the position for 49 long years, and his passing has signalled a change of guard in more ways than one.

While Stalin himself admitted that he was in no position to emulate his father’s charisma and persona, the change of guard at a 69-year-long establishment comes with its share of challenges.

Winning Combination For 2019

Stalin’s top priority as party chief is to assemble a winning combination for the general elections next year. As on date, the DMK is non-existent in the Lok Sabha, with arch-rivals AIADMK occupying 37 out of 39 seats from Tamil Nadu.

While the party did well in the 2016 assembly polls, winning a total of 98 out of 234 assembly seats, with allies, it was let down by its alliance partner, the Congress, winning only eight out of the 41 seats it contested.

In the run up to 2019, there has been speculation that the DMK would consider allying with the BJP, in the pursuit of better poll prospects.

Today, Stalin closed the door on that possibility, accusing the BJP of being singularly responsible for polarisation in the country.

“Let us teach the spineless Modi government a lesson,” he exclaimed, exhorting party men to uphold secular values.

Experts say there was never a real possibility of the two parties getting together in the first place.

“Most of this speculation was born out of several BJP leaders paying courtesy calls to Karunanidhi while he was ailing,” noted N Sathiyamoorthy, senior fellow, Observer Research Foundation.

Stathiyamoorthy adds, “The DMK is known to be courteous to all parties. But its ideological ally has always been the Congress, and that union is unlikely to end. Stalin’s speech is also proof that the door is now firmly shut on any possibility of a pre-poll or a post-poll alliance with the BJP.”

Party Unity Amidst Rebellion

Ironically, one of the challenges to Stalin’s claim to the DMK throne has come from within.

Former union minister and Karunanidhi’s older son, MK Alagiri has claimed that the DMK patriarch’s loyalists are on his side, even warning of “dire consequences” if he isn’t re-inducted to the DMK (he was expelled from the party in 2014, on disciplinary grounds).

Questions on just how much clout Alagiri wields continue to remain.

It was around 2001, when the DMK’s Madurai strongman garnered a reputation of using immense muscle power to win elections in southern Tamil Nadu, even going so far as to field independent candidates capable of beating DMK candidates.

“But Alagiri is not a factor any longer, and is not a threat to the DMK,” said senior Chennai-based journalist Sandhya Ravishankar, “Stalin has been working on the ground to ensure Alagiri’s base is demolished permanently.”

Sathiyamoorthy adds, “Even if he continues to have support, it will disappear if the DMK, under Stalin, wins upcoming elections.”

Credibility Reinforcement

Perhaps Stalin’s biggest challenge will lie in bringing the DMK back to reckoning in Tamil Nadu.

After all, it wasn’t very long ago in 2016, when only for the first time, the DMK lost two successive elections, ending 30 years of anti-incumbency.

This was close on the heels of its rout in the 2014 general elections, winning none of the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

The analysis was fairly simple: the Tamil Nadu voter was unwilling to forgive a party accused of massive corruption. The DMK however, continues to maintain that the AIADMK used money power to win big.

The rise of Stalin, however, DMK spokesperson Saravanan feels could draw the curtains on not only the AIADMK government, but be instrumental in engineering a BJP defeat.

“From the Hoeganakkal Integrated Water Scheme to planning for the Chennai Metro Rail, many key projects have been our leader’s handiwork,” said Saravanan, “The people of Tamil Nadu know that, and are also aware that the DMK is the only party that can deliver social justice, which is absent under the BJP.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Stalin hits out at Modi, AIADMK

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Silencing critics who felt the DMK may be tilting towards the BJP, newly elected party President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday launched a stinging attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his government was trying to saffronize India.

“Come, teach a lesson to the Modi government that is trying to saffronize India,” Stalin said in his first address after taking over the Presidential post that was held for five decades by his late father and former Chief Minister M.K. Karunanidhi.

And to cheers from the hundreds of party delegates at the General Council meeting here, Stalin added: “We will oppose any party that wants supremacy of one language.”

Stalin said the rights of state governments were being trampled upon and the Modi government needed to be taught a lesson.

He also appealed to the DMK cadres to throw out the “anti-people and spineless AIADMK government” in Tamil Nadu.

Stalin said the DMK won’t flinch from the policies of social justice laid down by Dravidian icon E.V. Ramaswamy ‘Periyar’.

While declaring that the DMK was not “anti-God”, he said the party won’t go back on the rationalist policies of Periyar.

Stalin promised that the DMK’s new leadership would reflect the views of the party members and supporters.

Confessing that he was not a patch on his late father and did not possess the command over Tamil language like he did, Stalin said: “I have the attitude to try out everything.”

From now on, he said he was a different Stalin and would take the DMK and Tamil Nadu towards a new future.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow