TN Governor was sent to trouble govt, insult Tamil, Kanimozhi says at DMK protest
Chennai (PTI): DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi alleged on Tuesday that the BJP government at the Centre had made R N Ravi Governor of Tamil Nadu only to give trouble to the DMK government and to insult Tamils.
Stating that the Gubernatorial position was not meant to do politics, she said the Governor was free to go on leave if he wasn't keen on addressing the Legislative Assembly.
“Why play politics? There's no need for the Governor to do politics. He can take leave and refrain from attending Assembly,” the MP from Thoothukudi said while addressing the party members at a massive protest here seeking the Governor’s recall.
The protest -- which held in the district headquarters across the state too -- was also to condemn Ravi for choosing not to read out the address prepared by the state government at the commencement of the maiden Assembly session for this year.
On Monday, Ravi walked out of the Legislative Assembly without reading out the customary address. The Raj Bhavan later said that the Governor left the House in “deep anguish” as the constitution of Bharat and the national anthem were once again “insulted” in the Assembly.
“This was the third time the Governor has disrespected the Assembly,” Kanimozhi said at the protest. She emphasised that the DMK members groomed by leaders like C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi, would under the leadership of Chief Minister and party president M K Stalin soon overcome all hurdles posed by the BJP government through the Governor,
"There's a limit to our leader Stalin's patience... the day is not far off when the Governor would be sent back," Kanimozhi said.
Participating in the protest, DMK organisation secretary R S Bharathi alleged that the Governor wanted to break five decades of practice in the state by deciding to boycott the customary address.
“He is giving lame excuses for not reading the government's address in the Assembly. He has no valid reason to boycott. He is jealous because the states ruled by his party are not performing like Tamil Nadu is under Stalin’s DMK,” Bharathi later told reporters.
BJP Mahila Morcha president and legislator Vanathi Srinivasan condemned the DMK for posting posters condemning the Governor and said it has become the habit of the ruling dispensation to undermine the position of the Governor.
“Whenever he comes to the Assembly, they try to enact a drama as if he is disrespecting Tamil Nadu,” Vanathi Srinivasan told reporters here.
Yesterday, the Governor insisted upon playing the national anthem that was also followed in West Bengal or Kerala, ruled by the DMK’s allies, she said.
“The national anthem is sung whenever the Governor arrives. But here, the DMK thinks that Tamil Nadu has a separate procedure,” Vanathai said slamming the DMK.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
