Ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala had started her political tour from Kasimajorpuram of Tenkasi recently. But it’s not going well, at least for her supporters and media persons who are covering the event. On day one, some of the reporters lost their cell phone and purse. A silver bracelet was also stolen from one of Sasikala’s supporters. The organisers, to tackle the issue, announced over mic that the public should keep a watch of their belongings before the event in other places including Tenkasi and Pavoorchatram. Despite this, many other attendees lost cash and other belongings in Pavoorchatram and Surandai.
Grand gesture for grand old party
Pavoorchatram police in Tenkasi are sticklers for rules. They man several roads at a time and pose the ‘stop hand’ signal to all persons violating traffic rules. They don’t just rule the road with an iron fist, they also know how to revere those who wielded the ‘hand’ signal before them. Why else would the police give a free hand to the state chief of the party that holds the ‘hand’ symbol?
On Tuesday, state Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai took part in a rally in Ramachandrapattinam. He and other partymen rode two-wheelers and none of them wore helmets on the busy Tirunelveli–Tenkasi highway. Even after a video went viral and netizens raised clamour, the police stuck to their obeisance. Later, a BJP member filed a plea to Pavoorchatram SHO Uma Maheswari demanding action. She ‘advised’ him to leave the matter. Maheswari later said she could take action on Selvaperunthagai only if her superior asks.
Upset then, embarrassed now
The poor performance of the AIADMK candidate in Madurai Lok Sabha poll had worried the party high command and they sought an explanation from the unit. Apparently, a local functionary submitted a report that former minister and party leader Sellur K Raju didn’t work properly for the candidate, resulting in his loss. The leader’s friends in the party informed him about the report and an upset Raju immediately dialled the functionary. Looks like Raju was more than upset; he started verbally abusing the partyman who recorded the conversation and shared it on social media, causing bigger embarrassment for Raju.
Manifesting, upon request
Meeting media persons is part of PMK founder S Ramadoss’ routine. He does that every Thursday, without fail, at his home in Thailapuram near Tindivanam. In last week’s meeting, Ramadoss discussed the protest planned for Vanniyar reservation and expressed his readiness to lead the protest despite being 86 years old. Keeping in mind the leader’s frequent mention that he had been an inmate of all major prisons in TN except Palayamkottai, a reporter asked if Ramadoss would be willing to go to the ‘left out’ prison in Tirunelveli this time. Ramadoss laughed and made an oral request to the government to jail him at Palayamkottai prison this time, “to fulfil the reporter’s wish”.
(Contributed by Thinakaran Rajamani, Saravanan M P and Bagalavan Perier B; compiled by Anagha R Manoj & Alen Moni Mathews)