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AIADMK drama intensifies: Remove EPS as CM demand 22 MLAs of Dhinakaran camp, threaten to resign

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AIADMK drama intensifies: Remove EPS as CM demand 22 MLAs of Dhinakaran camp, threaten to resign

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Day after the rival AIADMK camps of chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his now deputy, O Panneerselvam merged, the 22 MLAs of party’s third faction led by sidelined deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran meet TN Governor Vidyasagar Rao and threaten to resign if EPS is not removed as CM. Later, 15 of them are packed off to two resorts in Puducherry

Expected as it was, Monday’s merger of the rival AIADMK factions led Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and his now deputy O Panneerselvam (OPS), has failed to ensure that the party’s government in the state doesn’t fall prey to the dissensions within its ranks.

On Tuesday, a day after OPS and EPS had portrayed a picture of unity and implied that the AIADMK had sailed past the choppy waters of its factional feuds, the party’s third faction – led by sidelined AIADMK deputy general secretary, TTV Dhinakaran, raised its banner of revolt.

While until a day back it was believed that Dhinakaran, whose jailed aunt – VK Sasikala – the EPS and OPS factions are trying to unseat as the AIADMK general secretary – was losing support among the MLAs loyal to him, on Tuesday, the strength of his camp swelled from the earlier 17 legislators to 22 MLAs. Upping the ante against EPS, the Dhinakaran-22 reportedly rallied to meet Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao and threatened to withdraw their support to the state government unless EPS was fired as the chief minister. The MLAs have, sources said, submitted individual letters to Rao asserting that Palaniswami has lost their confidence as chief minister.

AIADMK drama intensifies: Remove EPS as CM demand 22 MLAs of Dhinakaran camp, threaten to resign

The show of strength by Dhinakaran immediately prompted AIADMK’s principal rival in the state – M Karunanidhi’s DMK – to cash in on the volatile political situation. DMK working president and Karunanidhi’s son, MK Stalin wrote to Rao stating that “an unprecedented constitutional crisis” had rocked the state since 22 MLAs had expressed their lack of confidence in the chief minister. Stalin demanded that the EPS government must be immediately made to face a floor test in the state Assembly.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRUklMjBoYXZlJTIwcmVxdWVzdGVkJTIwSG9uLiUyMEdvdmVybm9yJTIwdG8lMjBkaXJlY3QlMjBDTSUyMFBhbGFuaXNhbXklMjB0byUyMHByb3ZlJTIwaGlzJTIwbWFqb3JpdHklMjBpbiUyMHRoZSUyMEFzc2VtYmx5JTIwaW1tZWRpYXRlbHklMjAlMjZhbXAlM0IlMjB1cGhvbGQlMjBjb25zdGl0dXRpb25hbCUyMG5vcm1zJTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnQuY28lMkZEanBCNURQYlNsJTIyJTNFcGljLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGRGpwQjVEUGJTbCUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZwJTNFJTI2bWRhc2glM0IlMjBNLksuU3RhbGluJTIwJTI4JTQwbWtzdGFsaW4lMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZta3N0YWxpbiUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjg5OTkxMjcyMzIwNjU1NzY5NyUyMiUzRUF1Z3VzdCUyMDIyJTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZwbGF0Zm9ybS50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRndpZGdldHMuanMlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Clearly willing to give no quarter to his rivals, Dhinakaran also sacked the party’s Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader R Vaithilingam from all posts, including his AIADMK membership. Vaithilingam had earlier said that VK Sasikala would be removed from the party soon.

In developments reminiscent of the scenes from earlier this year when Sasikala, in her bid to seize the state’s chief ministership for herself had packed off MLAs loyal of her camp to the Golden Bay resort, the Dhinarakaran-22 were also being taken to two hotels, Aruna Inn and Le Pondy in Puducherry, local media reports suggested.

AIADMK drama intensifies: Remove EPS as CM demand 22 MLAs of Dhinakaran camp, threaten to resign

“Edapaddi Palaniswami must explain as to how and why the traitor, OPS, who sought votes parading the dead body of Amma (late TN chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa) in RK Nagar constituency for his faction’s candidate, has been given deputy chief ministership,” said Najil Sampath, a close supporter of Dhinakaran.

In a similar vein, AIADMK MLA and Dhinakaran’s confidante, V Pugalendi said: “EPS was made CM by Chinnamma (VK Sasikala)… where did he get the confidence to seek out a traitor (a reference to OPS) and give him post, power and respect…A person who has joined hands with a traitor has no right to be the chief minister and that is why we have asked the Governor to change the chief minister.”

With no sign of a let up in the fickle state of Tamil politics, it now remains to be seen whether EPS and OPS – or the BJP which is said to have had a key role in the merger of their factions – have any tricks up their sleeves to contain and survive the rebellion.

The AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly but it won’t reach the majority mark of 118 without the Dhinakaran-22. As per rules, a no-confidence motion can be called only by October because the last one was called in April. Six months have to lapse between two no-confidence motions. With just over a month left for October, will EPS and OPS be able to recalibrate their moves and get out of this mess? There’s clearly much more drama to come in the days to ahead.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Lok Sabha elections: INDIA bloc in Bihar seals seat-sharing deal, Congress get 9 seats, RJD 26

Purnea and Katihar, currently held by the Janata Dal (United), had emerged as the sticking point in seat-sharing talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

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The Opposition INDIA bloc sealed the seat-sharing deal in Bihar for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Mahagathbandhan’s largest constituent, RJD will field its candidates from 26 seats, including Purnea and Hajipur, while the Congress will contest on nine seats, including Kishanganj and Patna Sahib. Meanwhile, the Left will fight on five seats.

Purnea and Katihar, currently held by the Janata Dal (United), had emerged as the sticking point in seat-sharing talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

Reportedly, the Congress has been made to give up the Purnea Lok Sabha seat, which recent entrant Pappu Yadav, husband of Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan, was hoping to contest, mentioning that he had received assurance of Congress ticket from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

The seat will be contested by RJD, which recently gave the party ticket to JD(U) turncoat Bima Bharti, but stopped short of announcing it formally. The INDIA bloc seat-sharing announcement comes a day after the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls was over. The RJD has fielded its candidates in all four seats going to elections in the first phase.

Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav attended an INDIA bloc meeting regarding Bihar’s seat-sharing formula at Congress leader Mukul Wasnik’s residence and said that the RJD, the Congress and the Left will fight the Lok Sabha elections together in Bihar. He added that the INDIA bloc partners have agreed verbally on the seat-sharing arrangement and all the constituents are getting a respectable deal. Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks came amid reports of disquiet in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance in Bihar over seat sharing.

In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the National Democratic Alliance, including the BJP, JD(U) and LJP won 39 seats. The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled for April 19.

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Tax terrorism has to stop, says Congress after Income Tax Department issues fresh Rs 1,700 crore notice

The Congress has accused the BJP of squeezing it financially and of using tax authorities against it ahead of Lok Sabha elections beginning April 19.

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Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Congress’ financial woes worsened once again with the Income Tax Department issuing a fresh Rs 1,700 crore notice. The tax department issued the notice due to discrepancies in tax returns. 

The fresh notice is for assessment years 2017-18 to 2020-21 and includes penalty and interest. This comes a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed the party’s petition challenging the tax notices. 

The opposition party is already facing a funds crunch after Income Tax authorities imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore and froze its funds. Furthermore, the party has not received any relief from the High Court in the case and is likely to approach the Supreme Court. The Congress has accused the BJP of squeezing it financially and of using tax authorities against it ahead of Lok Sabha elections beginning April 19.

Addressing a press conference, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that the notices are being sent to cripple the party financially. Calling the action as tax terrorism, Jairam Ramesh said that this attack on Congress has to stop.

Earlier in February, the Income Tax department had found fault in the party’s tax returns and demanded Rs 200 crore. Subsequently, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) had asked the party to pay the dues and froze their accounts. The Congress stated the tax tribunal’s order freezing its funds was an attack on democracy as the order came just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal stated that this is a deliberate attempt by the Narendra Modi-led to bankrupt the Congress ahead of elections. He mentioned that the timing of the penalty notice, following the Delhi High Court’s dismissal of Congress petitions challenging tax reassessment proceedings, reeks of political vendetta.

He underlined that while political parties are typically exempt from taxes, this penalty is allegedly due to delayed filing of returns. He asserted that it is a blatant move by the Modi government to cripple the Congress financially, especially during the elections. He further asserted that in response to the notice, the Congress plans to stage a nationwide protest, condemning BJP’s exploitation of central agencies to target opposition parties. 

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Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati, Tejashwi Yadav mourns demise of Mukhtar Ansari, demand probe

Akhilesh Yadav mentioned that such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

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Mukhtar Ansari, gangster turned politician, who has been in jail since 2005, died due to cardiac arrest on Thursday. After Ansari’s death, his family alleged that the politician had been poisoned in the jail.  

Expressing sorrow, several opposition leaders demanded a probe into the death of Mukhtar Ansari. Notably, the gangster turned politician submitted an application in Barabanki court, alleging he was given some poisonous substance along with his food. He claimed that on March 19, his nerves and limbs started paining after he consumed the food.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav wrote on X that a few days ago Mukhtar Ansari complained that he had been poisoned in jail, yet it was not taken seriously. He added that prima facie the move does not seem justifiable and humane. He stated that constitutional institutions should take suo motu cognizance of such strange cases and incidents.

Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party Chief, Akhilesh Yadav said that the state is going through the worst phase of government anarchy. He added that it is the responsibility and duty of the government to protect someone’s life in every situation and at every place. 

The former Chief Minister added that the death of a hostage or prisoner while being confined in the police station, in a fight inside the jail, on falling ill inside the prison, while being taken to court, while being taken to hospital or during treatment in hospital will erode public confidence in the judicial process. He mentioned that such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. He claimed that the way the government bypasses the judicial process and adopts other methods is completely illegal. 

Taking to social media platform X, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said that the persistent apprehensions and serious allegations made by Mukhtar Ansari’s family regarding his death in jail require a high-level investigation so that the facts in his death can be revealed. 

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said that the people of Ghazipur lost their favourite son and brother. He added that Mukhtar Ansari had made serious allegations against the administration that he was poisoned, but the government did not pay any attention to his treatment.

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput stated that custodial deaths and firing in jail has become very common in Uttar Pradesh. He added that high level investigation should be conducted.

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