Pole position
It seems lining streets with party flags has become as ritualistic as the celebrations themselves. This year’s Thevar Jayanthi in Ramanathapuram was no different — with every major party strutting its colours on six- to seven-foot flagpoles. But the real spectacle came from the DMK and AIADMK, which quite literally took things to new heights, hoisting poles up to 20 ft. Observers say the towering flags were less about festivity and more a subtle flex of political muscle. Taller the pole, the louder the statement?
- MS Thanaraj
Power trip
TNEB chairman J Radhakrishnan reportedly lost his cool at a recent review meeting over Tamil Nadu’s dismal progress under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). While Goa, Bihar, and Gujarat have clocked 71%, 53%, and 32% completion respectively, Tamil Nadu lags far behind at just 3%. Frustrated, Radhakrishnan is said to have told senior officials, “I don’t want to continue in a state with such performance. How can I go to Delhi and ask for funds from the centre?” The blunt comment left officers stunned — and scrambling to draw up a rapid “catch-up” plan before the next review.
- S Guruvanmikanathan
Cleared for takeoff
At Madurai airport, politics briefly took wing when reporters spotted AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami and TVK’s Bussy Anand on the same flight — and OPS with KA Sengottaiyan carpooling to the Thevar Jayanthi event in Ramanathapuram. A scribe promptly asked if this was the start of a new alliance. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran grounded the speculation with a grin: “Our leaders don’t have separate aircraft, that’s why they came together!” he said, drawing laughs all around.
- Saravanan MP
Dial M for misogyny
A farmer in Arcot, Ranipet, lost his life last week after stepping on a snapped live wire, a grim reminder of how deadly official negligence can be. When contacted, a senior EB official of Arcot insisted that details could be shared only ‘in person’, not over the phone. Another officer took a different route, questioning the “morality” of a female reporter calling him at night. So what if a woman calls about a power cut? When there’s no defence, deflect and demean. The state’s power corridors clearly need more illumination, not just in their lines, but in their attitudes.
- Nimisha Pradeep
Compiled by Adarsh TR and Dinesh Jefferson E
