The BJP’s stellar performance in the Maharashtra Assembly polls gave the party in Tamil Nadu a big reason to cheer. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who oversaw the election strategy as general secretary in charge of the party affairs in Maharashtra, was appointed ‘Prabhari’ for Tamil Nadu. Many in the party here hoped the magic of Maharashtra would be replicated in Tamil Nadu. But even before Mr. Rudy could launch his activities in the Dravidian land, he was made a Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet. As the party does not allow one person to hold two posts, the talk is that a new in-charge would be appointed soon.
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The former Union Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, seems to have some reservations about being projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance conceived by the PMK. Speaker after speaker at the executive committee meeting held on November 20 urged the party leadership to go it alone in the Assembly elections and project Mr. Anbumani as chief ministerial candidate. Mr. Ramadoss also held forth on the party’s agenda for governance, giving an impression that he was ready for the job. But the general council could not give a formal approval to the idea as the he wanted some more time to convince himself.
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After garlanding the statue of British engineer Pennycuick at the memorial in the Lower Camp in Theni district, when the level in the Mullaperiyar dam was nearing 142 feet, MDMK general secretary Vaiko touched the idol’s feet to show his gratitude. Later, he said he had never touched the feet of anyone in his career for any gain. “Earlier, I touched the feet of one person. It was my mother,” he said. On seeing a large number of policemen blocking the Kumuli Highway near the memorial, he said: “I will not go to the dam now. Time will come soon to go there. I will not disturb you now. So don’t bother.”
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Political parties have started using the Internet and social media to take their ideologies beyond the geographical boundaries of the States and the country. The ruling AIADMK appointed ‘Aspire’ K. Swaminathan as its IT wing secretary a few months ago. DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin is on Twitter. Now, MDMK general secretary Vaiko has appointed his loyalist ‘Minnal’ S. Mohamed Ali of Maanur, near Tiruneveli, as the party’s Internet wing coordinator. Though not a qualified IT professional, Mr. Ali is active on the social network.
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Lack of proper coordination and grasp of the situation marked Saturday’s rail roko agitation at Thanjavur Junction by some parties, led by MDMK general secretary Vaiko, to protest Karnataka’s plan to build reservoirs across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
Arriving just ahead of the announced time, Mr. Vaiko forced his way into the junction through the police barricades, but not before having an argument in public with one of the coordinators. By then, the Cholan Express, from Tiruchi to Egmore, had left Thanjavur, and the protesters had to wait for some time for the next train to arrive. Fortunately for them, the Tiruchi-Nagore Passenger was chugging in, but it came to a halt at the regular spot. Mr. Vaiko and the train were separated by a heavy police presence. However, some enthusiastic agitators managed to climb the engine and raised slogans. A perplexed Mr. Vaiko, who did not go anywhere near the train, delivered a speech warning Karnataka and cautioning the Centre. The police whisked him and his supporters away to the waiting buses after declaring them arrested. After a few minutes, the train left for Nagore. It was not detained any further than the duration of its regular halt.
