Tamil Nadu Political Crisis

After 4 states' ruling parties question the motive, Foreign Minister says no political intent, only that Lanka crisis holds "strong lessons"

Ending months of speculation, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth on Sunday declared he would not contest the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin today said the political developments in Sri Lanka are a cause of concern not only for the Tamils in Sri Lanka but also for those living in Tamil Nadu, especially fishermen.

Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday amid an ongoing political crisis in the state.

TTV Dinakaran, who is the centrifugal force for the political crisis in Tamil Nadu, "welcomes" the prospect of a merger of the two estranged teams of Tamil Nadu's ruling party, said ministers who met him this morning. Mr Dinakran appears to have little choice but to go along with the plan, given that his removal as the party's Deputy Chief is bein...

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today termed Tamil Nadu's objection to the proposed Mekedatu dam project across Cauvery river as politically motivated, and said the state government will go ahead with the project.

There is a deep anger about the degrading of Tamil political life, where personality trumps policy and the pursuit of power (and personal wealth) blots out serious discussion of how to govern better. And this is more than simply the standard middle-class disdain for "vulgar" politics.

As the crisis in Tamil Nadu made ripples nationally, culminating into Saturday's trust vote, in the country's eastern reaches, another political drama with similar twists seems to be catching speed. In Nagaland, where angry tribal protesters have locked down government offices in an indefinite shutdown demanding Chief Minister TR Zeliang's resignat...

With VK Sasikala convicted for corruption this morning, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao must now move urgently to end the political crisis in the state over who should be Chief Minister, said constitutional experts on Tuesday.

About 15,000 cops have been posted across Tamil Nadu's capital Chennai this morning ahead of a Supreme Court verdict in a corruption case against VK Sasikala, chief of the ruling AIADMK.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict around 10.30 am on whether incumbent AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala is guilty of aiding her predecessor, J Jayalalithaa, in amassing illicit wealth of over 60 crores in the 1990s.

VK Sasikala, urging an immediate invitation from Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to take charge as Chief Minister in place of O Panneerselvam, declared today to a large crowd of supporters in Chennai, "We have seen 1,000 such Panneerselvams....I am not scared."

The ruling AIADMK's VK Sasikala and O Panneerselvam wished Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao a happy birthday on Monday morning. Five days after they both met Governor Rao to present claims to form government, he is yet to act. In that time, some more leaders of the party have joined Mr Panneerselvam - who now has 11 members of Parliament and se...

The first segment of the Budget Session of Parliament had its interesting moments for me, especially as MPs began to gather in Central Hall and discuss the new political challenges of the New Year. Central Hall is formally used only once each year: for the address by the President to the joint sitting of both Houses. For the rest of the period, it ...

In scenes perfected by many a Hollywood drama, a cavalcade of around 30 SUVs snaked its way this afternoon from Poes Garden, the residence of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, to the beachfront luxury resort 80 km away, that has been at the heart of the political crisis gripping the state for the last week. The occasion was for VK Sa...

After 4 states' ruling parties question the motive, Foreign Minister says no political intent, only that Lanka crisis holds "strong lessons"

Ending months of speculation, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth on Sunday declared he would not contest the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin today said the political developments in Sri Lanka are a cause of concern not only for the Tamils in Sri Lanka but also for those living in Tamil Nadu, especially fishermen.

Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday amid an ongoing political crisis in the state.

TTV Dinakaran, who is the centrifugal force for the political crisis in Tamil Nadu, "welcomes" the prospect of a merger of the two estranged teams of Tamil Nadu's ruling party, said ministers who met him this morning. Mr Dinakran appears to have little choice but to go along with the plan, given that his removal as the party's Deputy Chief is bein...

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today termed Tamil Nadu's objection to the proposed Mekedatu dam project across Cauvery river as politically motivated, and said the state government will go ahead with the project.

There is a deep anger about the degrading of Tamil political life, where personality trumps policy and the pursuit of power (and personal wealth) blots out serious discussion of how to govern better. And this is more than simply the standard middle-class disdain for "vulgar" politics.

As the crisis in Tamil Nadu made ripples nationally, culminating into Saturday's trust vote, in the country's eastern reaches, another political drama with similar twists seems to be catching speed. In Nagaland, where angry tribal protesters have locked down government offices in an indefinite shutdown demanding Chief Minister TR Zeliang's resignat...

With VK Sasikala convicted for corruption this morning, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao must now move urgently to end the political crisis in the state over who should be Chief Minister, said constitutional experts on Tuesday.

About 15,000 cops have been posted across Tamil Nadu's capital Chennai this morning ahead of a Supreme Court verdict in a corruption case against VK Sasikala, chief of the ruling AIADMK.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict around 10.30 am on whether incumbent AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala is guilty of aiding her predecessor, J Jayalalithaa, in amassing illicit wealth of over 60 crores in the 1990s.

VK Sasikala, urging an immediate invitation from Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to take charge as Chief Minister in place of O Panneerselvam, declared today to a large crowd of supporters in Chennai, "We have seen 1,000 such Panneerselvams....I am not scared."

The ruling AIADMK's VK Sasikala and O Panneerselvam wished Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao a happy birthday on Monday morning. Five days after they both met Governor Rao to present claims to form government, he is yet to act. In that time, some more leaders of the party have joined Mr Panneerselvam - who now has 11 members of Parliament and se...

The first segment of the Budget Session of Parliament had its interesting moments for me, especially as MPs began to gather in Central Hall and discuss the new political challenges of the New Year. Central Hall is formally used only once each year: for the address by the President to the joint sitting of both Houses. For the rest of the period, it ...

In scenes perfected by many a Hollywood drama, a cavalcade of around 30 SUVs snaked its way this afternoon from Poes Garden, the residence of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, to the beachfront luxury resort 80 km away, that has been at the heart of the political crisis gripping the state for the last week. The occasion was for VK Sa...