A name game on the dais
Former AIADMK minister Sellur K Raju injected a lighter note into the Tamil Nadu Saurashtra Arasiyal Maanaadu held in Madurai on Sunday. While addressing the gathering, Raju appeared briefly puzzled as the host read out the names of AIADMK councillors belonging to the Saurashtra community. Turning to the organiser, he quipped that the party should be referred to as ‘Anna DMK’ instead of AIADMK, observing that several parties in Tamil Nadu now carry ‘DMK’ in their names. The offhand remark triggered laughter among the audience, momentarily easing the political tone of the event.
MP Saravanan
When the vote bank forgets
The YouTube release of Kanthan Malai, starring senior BJP leader H Raja, has given social media in Tamil Nadu fresh comic material. While critics were quick to poke fun at the acting and production values, the real amusement came from the numbers. As on the evening of January 4, after two weeks of free streaming, the film had managed only about 9.76 lakh views despite what opponents described as relentless promotion. This, they noted, in a state with over three crore Hindu voters. Commentators further quipped that Madurai’s Hindu population alone could not be persuaded to click “play”. For critics, the modest view count offered a lighter, numerical punchline to the BJP’s claims of growing political reach.
Kumaresan S
Unexpected presence
N Manivannan assumed office as Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli city, on January 1, following which deputy commissioners, inspectors and personnel from various wings called on him to extend their greetings. Among the visitors was S Ramakrishnan, a suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police, whose presence drew attention. Ramakrishnan was convicted by the Thoothukudi Sessions Court last year in connection with the 1999 custodial death of Vincent and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was, however, recently granted bail, with the Supreme Court suspending his conviction. Sources said Ramakrishnan met the commissioner for over 10 minutes during the courtesy call.
Thinakaran Rajamani