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BJP to have a ‘mahagathbandhan’ in TN, to tie up with AIADMK-PMK alliance

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7 years ago

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AIADMK-PMK alliance

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu today (Tuesday, Feb 19) sealed an alliance with PMK for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections and a tie up with BJP is also likely to be announced soon.

The PMK had been critical of both the AIADMK and the BJP in the recent past.

The alliance with BJP was earlier expected today but party president Amit Shah cancelled his visit to Chennai, owing to AIADMK’s negotiations with the PMK.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal will, however, be arriving in the city and will be holding talks with AIADMK leaders, said media reports citing sources. This would be the second round of talks led by Piyush Goyal, who was in the city on February 14 for discussions on the ‘grand alliance’.

The temporary hold up, according to sources in the AIADMK, was because of the PMK was in talks with both the ruling party and the opposition DMK. Also, smaller parties like DMDK are not yet completely on board with their share of seats. The announcement of an alliance between the AIADMK and the BJP may not include seat details just yet.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam told reporters that PMK would get 7 seats in the parliamentary polls. In addition to this, the PMK will also be allotted one Rajya Sabha seat. Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The DMK meanwhile is likely to go with its already existing partners including Congress, CPI, CPM, MDMK, VCK and IUML.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, the PMK was part of the NDA alliance led by the BJP and included parties such as the DMDK and the MDMK. The PMK managed to bag the lone seat of Dharmapuri with Anbumani Ramadoss emerging the winner.

However, Anbumani Ramadoss was reportedly miffed with the BJP after he was not given a cabinet berth in the Narendra Modi government. Till last month, PMK was reported to be in talks with Congress.

While addressing the press conference today, reported The Hindu, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss said that the details of the constituencies in which the PMK will contest will be made at a later date.

“It is a victorious alliance, mega alliance. The reasons why we decided to ally with AIADMK will be explained by Anbumani Ramadoss. We have placed 10 conditions/demands for the alliance with AIADMK,” said Dr Ramadoss.

Dr Ramadoss also read out the 10 conditions/demands placed before the alliance leader AIADMK for ‘people’s welfare’ mostly revolved around the issues that the PMK has raised in the past: declare the delta regions as ‘protected agricultural zones, implement alcohol prohibition, conduct caste-based census in the State, immediate release of seven Tamils convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, shut down sand-mining quarries, revert to the old pension scheme for State government employees, remove NEET for Tamil Nadu medical aspirants, and others.

Just as the reporters began raising questions about PMK’s severe criticism in the past of the AIADMK government, Dr Ramadoss decided to wind up the press meet and leave.

The PMK, led by S Ramadoss, has a support base in northern Tamil Nadu, especially among the OBC Vanniyar community. In successive Lok Sabha elections since 1999, the party has polled 5-10% votes in the state.

Both DMK and AIADMK had been wooing PMK in the last one month in their efforts to form a rainbow caste coalition for 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry. A leading industrialist was instrumental in bringing the PMK onboard the BJP-AIADMK alliance, according to a CNN-News18 report.

In Tamil Nadu, the BJP is a minor player compared to the ruling AIADMK. In 2014, snubbed by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, BJP formed an alliance with parties like MDMK, PMK and DMDK and won only two seats; the BJP’s Pon Radhakrishnan, who won the party’s lone seat in Kanyakumari, became a union minister. The J Jayalalithaa-led AIAMDK won 37 seats.

In Tamil Nadu elections two years later, the BJP scored a duck. The party is aggressively chasing an alliance this time to gain a foothold in the major southern state.

The AIADMK, pursued by the BJP, held out for long and even declared more than once that such an alliance was out of the question. But over the past two years, the party has seen dramatic changes since the death of its charismatic and strong leader Jayalalithaa in 2016. The AIADMK split down the middle with a rebel faction supporting Jayalalithaa’s closest aide VK Sasikala, who made a failed bid to take over the party and chief ministership before being jailed for corruption. Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran has launched AMMK and even won Jayalalithaa’s RK Nagar constituency in a by-election.

The AIADMK and BJP had been waiting for actor-politician Rajinikanth to clear his stand. He has declared that he would not contest the polls and that no party should use his outfit to capitalise on votes. The other star-politician, Kamal Hassan has often criticised the BJP, and is mostly likely to opt for the anti-BJP alliance or go alone.

BJP leaders believe that despite the anti-incumbency against the AIADMK government, the coalition could be a formidable electoral force, especially after the “popular Budget” presented by the E Palaniswami government recently.

The BJP is hoping to complete its pre-poll alliances before the first week of March. The BJP yesterday finalised its alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. After Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the party is keen to finalise deals with its existing partners in Uttar Pradesh: the Apna Dal and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party. The party has already finalised seat-sharing formula with the JD(U) and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party in Bihar.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Amit Shah praises Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, says Nation above post

Amit Shah hailed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister, saying BJP places the nation and students above any position while highlighting the government’s commitment to examination reforms.

Published

1 day ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised Dharmendra Pradhan’s decision to step down as Union Education Minister, saying the move reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to placing the nation and students above any political position.

In a post on X, Shah said that for BJP workers, the country, its youth and students are more important than any office. He described Pradhan’s resignation as an example of the party’s guiding principle of prioritising national interest over personal ambition.

Shah highlights government’s focus on exam reforms

Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government respects the sentiments of students and remains committed to strengthening the examination system following concerns over alleged paper leaks.

He said the Centre has introduced strict measures to ensure severe punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks and expressed confidence that these steps would deliver justice to students who cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Praises Pradhan’s work as Education Minister

Recalling Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure, Shah highlighted several initiatives undertaken during his time in the Education Ministry. He credited Pradhan with helping implement the National Education Policy (NEP), expanding PM SHRI schools, promoting digital education, strengthening skill development and improving coordination between industry and academic institutions.

Shah also said Pradhan worked towards making examinations more inclusive and student-centric, adding that his tenure reflected his commitment to the vision of a developed India.

Resignation follows NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation comes amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for accountability.

The resignation has triggered political reactions across party lines. While opposition parties have described the development as a result of sustained student protests, BJP leaders have projected it as an example of accountability and commitment to national interest.

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Centre ready for NEET debate in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi’s paper leak claims to be investigated: JP Nadda

Union Health Minister JP Nadda said the government is prepared for a detailed Parliament debate on the NEET paper leak issue and will investigate Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of multiple paper leaks over the last decade.

Published

5 days ago

on

July 22, 2026

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JP-Nadda

The Centre has reiterated its willingness to hold a detailed discussion on the NEET paper leak issue in Parliament, with Union Health Minister JP Nadda saying the government is prepared for a debate of any duration. He also said Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of around 152 examination paper leaks over the past 10 years would be investigated.

Government open to debate of any duration

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, JP Nadda said the government has consistently supported a discussion on the paper leak issue in Parliament. He stated that the Opposition could decide the duration of the debate through the Business Advisory Committee, whether it is a short discussion or one extending to 12 or even 18 hours.

Nadda, who is also the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, said the government remains fully prepared for a comprehensive discussion and urged the Opposition not to shift its position on the issue.

Rahul Gandhi’s paper leak allegations to be examined

Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s recent presentation, Nadda said the Congress leader referred to nearly 150 paper leak incidents over the last decade. He described those claims as a matter that requires investigation and said the government would examine the allegations before presenting the facts to the public.

According to Nadda, a responsible government is committed to verifying such claims and ensuring that the truth is established through due investigation.

Calls for a united approach on NEET issue

Highlighting the significance of the matter, Nadda said the future of students should remain the top priority for both the government and the Opposition. He appealed to political parties to work together in finding a long-term solution to prevent examination irregularities.

He added that safeguarding the interests of students is a shared responsibility and called for constructive cooperation instead of political differences.

Nadda on meeting with CJP representatives

The Union Minister also spoke about his recent interaction with representatives of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). He said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, during which the government listened to their concerns and asked them to submit their suggestions in writing.

Nadda said the government remains open to further discussions whenever required and clarified that no meeting with the group was held on Wednesday.

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Opposition demands Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation before NEET discussion in Parliament

The Opposition has demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation before any discussion on the NEET paper leak in Parliament, while the Centre says it is fully prepared for a debate.

Published

5 days ago

on

July 22, 2026

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The political deadlock over the NEET paper leak issue continued in Parliament on Wednesday, with Opposition parties demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before any discussion takes place. The Centre, however, maintained that it is fully prepared to debate the matter during the ongoing Monsoon Session.

Leading the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said there could be no fair discussion on the NEET issue unless Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post.

Centre rejects Opposition’s condition

Responding to the Opposition’s demand, Leader of the House JP Nadda said the government was not avoiding a discussion and remained open to debating all issues, including the alleged NEET paper leak.

He said the government had already made its position clear and described it as transparent, adding that it was willing to discuss every matter raised by the Opposition.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also reiterated that the Centre had been ready for discussions since the beginning of the Monsoon Session. He said the government had consistently conveyed its willingness to debate the NEET issue and other important matters.

Rijiju added that if the Opposition was looking for reasons to avoid a discussion, it would not be appropriate. According to him, the procedure and timing of the debate would be decided after consultations among all parties under the Chair’s guidance.

Opposition maintains resignation demand

The government also informed the House that its willingness to discuss the issue had been communicated to Congress leaders and representatives of other political parties.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav echoed the Opposition’s stand, saying students were seeking the resignation of the Education Minister before any discussion. He asserted that the resignation should come first, followed by parliamentary debate on the issue.

Akhilesh Yadav also joined Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition MPs during a march towards the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi on Tuesday as part of the protest over the NEET controversy.

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