DMK president M.K. Stalin. File
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Steeped in politics: Kalapriya, an admirer of MGR, worked for the DMK from the 1967 election and then for the AIADMK.
| Photo Credit: N. Rajesh

DMK President MK Stalin addresses during an election campaign rally in support of his alliance candidates, ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly polls, in Tirunelveli, Saturday, March 20, 2021

A video has surfaced on social media showing a group of women screaming in fear inside a car as they are chased and harassed by men in two vehicles. One of the two vehicles sported a flag which bore ensigns similar to that of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party.

The alarming incident occurred on the night of January 25 in Chennai’s Kanathur area when a group of women was returning home to Muttukadu by car.

As they drove along East Coast Road, a luxury car suddenly blocked their path. Around six men inside the vehicle attacked the car, hurled abuses, and made obscene remarks.

Fearing for their safety, the women quickly reversed their car and drove nearly four kilometres back to their residence. However, their ordeal did not end there, as the men chased them to their homes and continued issuing threats.

Watch the video here:

#CHENNAI – A group of men chased women in a car in the middle of the night on Chennai’s ECR Road – Shocking video!#Chennai | #WomenSafety pic.twitter.com/5T7oGsDPGu

— Suresh (@isureshofficial) January 29, 2025

The incident was captured on camera, and the video has since gone viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage.

According to police reports, a case has been registered against the suspects for mischief, criminal intimidation, and wrongful restraint. Authorities are actively investigating the matter and working to identify the accused.

The incident has triggered a political backlash.

In a post on X, BJP leader SG Suryah wrote: “A group of thugs in a car with a DMK flag are chasing women in the middle of the road. CM MK Stalin, who has sold his iron fist for dates, is this the beauty of your regime’s law and order maintenance? Can we commit any violence if we have the DMK flag?”

New Delhi:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on Friday at five locations linked to DMK leader and Member of Parliament Kathir Anand.

Kathir Anand is the son of S Duraimurugan, a senior DMK leader and the second-in-command in the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin cabinet, represents the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.

The ED had carried out searches at the premises of DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ponmudy and his son Gautham Sigamani in a money laundering case in July 2023. These actions against its party’s leaders have prompted the DMK to blame political vendetta.

In 2019, then-President Ram Nath Kovind had acted on a recommendation from the Election Commission of India to rescind the Lok Sabha election in Vellore due to the seizure of Rs 11 crore unaccounted cash from Kathir Anand and locations linked to him. Two days before the April 18, 2019 election, the polls in Vellore were cancelled.

A reelection was held in August 2019, where Kathir Anand won on a DMK ticket by a narrow margin of 8,141 votes. He defeated AIADMK’s AC Shanmugham. He again defeated the latter, who had by then joined the BJP, in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He secured a comfortable victory with a margin of 2,15,702 votes.

In November last year, Mr Stalin accused “new parties” of wanting to “eliminate” the DMK amid a war of words with actor-politician Vijay, after the latter targeted to the DMK on multiple issues. Mr Stalin played down the import of such threats, declaring, “I can only say, ‘long live those who chide us’.”

New Delhi:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on Friday at five locations linked to DMK leader and Member of Parliament Kathir Anand.

Kathir Anand is the son of S Duraimurugan, a senior DMK leader and the second-in-command in the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin cabinet, represents the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency.

The ED had carried out searches at the premises of DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ponmudy and his son Gautham Sigamani in a money laundering case in July 2023. These actions against its party’s leaders have prompted the DMK to blame political vendetta.

In 2019, then-President Ram Nath Kovind had acted on a recommendation from the Election Commission of India to rescind the Lok Sabha election in Vellore due to the seizure of Rs 11 crore unaccounted cash from Kathir Anand and locations linked to him. Two days before the April 18, 2019 election, the polls in Vellore were cancelled.

A reelection was held in August 2019, where Kathir Anand won on a DMK ticket by a narrow margin of 8,141 votes. He defeated AIADMK’s AC Shanmugham. He again defeated the latter, who had by then joined the BJP, in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He secured a comfortable victory with a margin of 2,15,702 votes.

In November last year, Mr Stalin accused “new parties” of wanting to “eliminate” the DMK amid a war of words with actor-politician Vijay, after the latter targeted to the DMK on multiple issues. Mr Stalin played down the import of such threats, declaring, “I can only say, ‘long live those who chide us’.”

TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam) chief and actor Vijay’s offer of a share in power in Tamil Nadu has made whispers of power-sharing louder within the ruling DMK alliance that includes Congress, the left, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), and a few other parties. Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai on Friday clarified that only the Congress high command can decide on power-sharing if the ruling DMK returns to power in 2026.

Pointing out that the Congress had previously shared power with the DMK at the centre from 2004 to 2014, Selvaperunthagai underscored that the Congress had unconditionally supported the DMK government in Tamil Nadu in 2006 when it lacked a majority.

He, however, emphasized that the DMK should decide on power sharing, and the Congress cannot impose its will.

The present alliance led by the DMK has won three successive elections including sweeping the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The power-sharing demand first came tacitly from DMK ally-VCK chief Thirumavalavan, who later did some damage control to quell it.

The Congress had ruled Tamil Nadu till the 60s. With its dwindling vote share, the party turned into an eternal bride’s maid ever since, aligning with the DMK or the  AIADMK. However, earlier this year, the national party vowed to strengthen its presence in the state.

On Friday, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) announced the party’s plans to fortify village committees, with Congress leaders set to engage with people at the grassroots level, staying in villages and interacting with locals in December.

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has dismissed actor-politician Vijay’s ideology for his Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam, saying he had copied them. Main opposition AIADMK called it a “cocktail” of current political standpoints of various parties.

“These are all our policies, he is copying… whatever he says is what we had already said and which we are following,” DMK leader TKS Elangovan was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

In his debut public appearance yesterday, Vijay had targeted the DMK’s first family and even slammed the party’s politics, saying they were “cheating people… in the name of Dravidian model”.

As for the family of MK Stalin, he said, “One family is looting the state” through “underhand dealing”. 

DMK said it has seen many rivals in its long innings. “This is the first conference and let us see, we have seen many parties,” Mr Elangovan said.

Vijay had said his party, he said, would adopt Dravidian icon Periyar’s policy on social justice and women’s empowerment. The other icons of his party, he said, were Kamaraj, NR Ambedkar, freedom fighter Velu Nachiar and revolutionary Anjalai Ammal women icons.

But there was a special clarification — “We will not take Periyar’s ‘No god’ stand, we are against nobody’s faith,” he had said.  

Underscoring his party’s strong ideological moorings and its 75-year journey, Mr Elangovan said the party was built to fight for people’s issues, whereas Vijay’s party aspires to be in power in 2026, within two years of its launch.

Unlike leaders of the DMK, TVK leaders would not fight for people by going to jail. “That is the difference between DMK and other parties…we are strong, we work for the people, we are for the people,” he said.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan congratulated Vijay on entering politics but said he has a long way to go to deliver. 

TVK’s ideology “is a mix of ideology of all parties and old wine in new bottle…a cocktail ideology taken from all political parties in Tamil Nadu,” he said.  

(With agencies) 

Chennai:

The Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are a year and a half away but the ruling DMK is already gearing up for them, with party chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin calling for a meeting of constituency observers in Chennai on Monday. 

MK Stalin is aiming to secure a second straight win in the Assembly polls and a fourth consecutive election win after leading the DMK to massive victories in Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and 2024 and the Assembly polls in 2021. 

To achieve this, the DMK has already constituted an Assembly Election Coordination Committee, comprising Udhayanidhi Stalin – Mr Stalin’s son who was elevated to the post of deputy chief minister last month – and senior leaders KN Nehru, Thangam Thennarasu and EV Velu. The chief minister will also review poll preparedness in districts across the state.

Party sources said the entry of superstar Vijay, who has launched his party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), into Tamil Nadu politics is one of the main reasons for DMK’s early start in election preparations. 

The TVK will make its electoral debut in the 2026 Assembly polls and while it is unclear what impact it will eventually have, given that other big actors like Sivaji Ganesan, Vijayakanth and Kamal Haasan have not left a huge mark politically, the sources said the DMK is not taking any chances.

Vijay’s supporters point out that, unlike some of the other recent entrants, the actor is making his political foray at a time when he is at the peak of his popularity. The DMK understands this as well and the elevation of Udhayanidhi Stalin was also seen as a way of countering Vijay’s appeal. 

Another challenge that the DMK is facing is that parties like the Congress, the Tholkappiyan Thirumavalavan-led VCK, and the Left may expect a bigger share of power if the alliance wins the Assembly elections. This is exacerbated by the fact that the TVK and the AIADMK – which has severed ties with the BJP and is no longer untouchable – present an opportunity for the DMK’s allies to explore alternative alliances.

The AIADMK is, however, not seen to be a very attractive proposition given the divisions within it and the fact that it has not done well in recent elections, and the TVK is yet to prove its popularity. 

The BJP, which has a negligible presence in the state, may fight alone, as may the Seeman-led NTK, setting the stage for a five-cornered fight with the DMK alliance, the AIADMK and the TVK. 

Chennai:

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi today said the deaths of five people due to suspected heat stroke after an Indian Air Force show in Chennai was “very painful” and that “unmanageable gatherings” should be avoided, tacitly taking on the IAF that aimed to set a world record by bringing together about 15 lakh spectators.

The air show was held to celebrate the Air Force’s 92nd anniversary and was organised at Marina Beach, which is among the world’s longest beaches.

The Air Force had planned to conduct the mega event to set a Limca Book of World Record by aiming to mobilise 15 lakh spectators. But closer to the air show — scheduled between 11 am to 1 pm — the crowd got so large that the elevated MRTS railway stations along the Marina Beach road had turned into a sea of people.

“It is very painful and sorrowful to know that five people have died due to soaring heat after attending the IAF Air Show at Marina Beach, Chennai. Unmanageable gatherings should be avoided,” Ms Kanimozhi posted on X.

As per reports, there was no adequate arrangement for drinking water in the spectators’ area of the event, which was held on a day when the maximum temperature touched 35 degrees Celsius.

People also had to reportedly walk three to four kilometres on the jam-packed roads to get public conveyance or pick up their vehicles.

The Chennai Police, which said it had deployed 6,500 police personnel and 1,500 home guards for security, is facing flak for poor crowd and traffic management.

AIADMK, BJP Slam DMK Over Chennai Airshow

Leader of Opposition and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami attacked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK government for the incident and alleged it failed to properly make arrangements for such a significant event.

“On the occasion of the 92nd Inauguration Day of the Indian Air Force, which is one of the most important components of the Indian Defense Department, an air adventure program was staged in Chennai to celebrate the strength of the Air Force. As the notification for this was published in advance, knowing that lakhs of people would come to visit, the Tamil Nadu government informed that arrangements have been made for transportation and basic facilities.,” Mr Palaniswami posted on X.

“However, during the program, administrative arrangements and Crowds and traffic were not managed properly as the police force is also inadequate to regulate. The news is shocking that people were stuck in heavy traffic, even drinking water is not available, and many people have been admitted to hospital due to heatstroke and five people have died so far,” he added.

“This pains me. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. My strong condemnation of the DMK government for failing to properly coordinate even such an important event,” he said.

BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan also called out the “negligence and incompetence” of the DMK government.

“Is this the DMK government’s Dravida model of utter negligence and incompetence? Yesterday’s tragedy at Chennai Air Force show very clearly showed that the State Government, led by DMK, was clearly incapable and unprepared to deal with this event… The government arrangements were not up to the mark. They mishandled the situation very clearly,” Mr Kesavan said.

The Air Force is yet to issue a statement on the loss of lives and criticism over its bid to mobilise large crowds difficult to handle.