Internal dissent grows louder
Small cracks no longer whisper. They now echo. As the DMK steps up its campaign in Vellore, internal dissent is surfacing. At a candidate meet, Anaicut MLA A P Nandakumar flagged sabotage from within the party and urged the leadership to act, regardless of stature. In a pointed reply, DMK general secretary Duraimurugan admitted hurt over similar betrayal. The unease, linked to murmurs of friction between Nandhakumar and Duraimurugan’s son and Vellore MP Kathir Anand, is not new. With elections nearing, can the party contain these rumblings before they harden into damaging fault lines?
Nimisha S Pradeep
Whistle whipped away
An AIADMK candidate introduction meeting turned tense in Mangalam under Palladam in Tiruppur on Tuesday night. A sizeable gathering of party functionaries, cadre and the public had assembled as traditional instruments marked the welcome. Amid the din, the band leader used a whistle, associated with TVK, to guide performers. The act drew swift objection. An AIADMK functionary snatched the whistle from his neck and flung it away, warning him against its use. The brief disruption underscored the charged poll atmosphere and sensitivity over symbols in a closely watched electoral season.
P Srinivasan