Two former ministers from the western region, belonging to rival political camps, along with another ex-minister from the southern region, were allegedly engaged in backchannel talks with the ruling DMK, exploring the possibility of switching sides. While the party was said to be receptive, sources indicated the negotiations ran into trouble after one of the leaders demanded not only a seat for himself but also tickets for two close supporters. The leaders were closely watching the tense seat-sharing talks between the DMK and Congress, hoping a fallout would open space for their entry. With the alliance discussions eventually stabilising, their hopes appear to have been dashed for now.
Prabhakar Tamilarasu
Flight of doubt
A last-minute dilemma gripped the Congress ahead of the formalisation of its alliance with the DMK. The agreement was expected to be signed around 5 pm, with a senior national office-bearer scheduled to arrive for the occasion. However, he neither informed the state unit about his absence nor clarified whether he had missed his flight, a move interpreted in party circles as a signal amid the negotiations. Sources said key leaders remained at the airport from around 4 pm as hectic talks continued. Congress allegedly sought a 20% share in local bodies, a demand the DMK firmly rejected.
Omen on the stone
A Nilgiri Tahr statue and the nameboard of the Nilgiri Tahr Conservation Centre were recently unveiled by Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, MP Ganapathy P Rajkumar and Mayor R Ranganayaki at the proposed site in Gandhipuram. A foundation stone bearing the centre’s name had been placed on a temporary grille stand. However, barely 10 minutes after the event ended, winds toppled the stand and the cornerstone broke into pieces. Onlookers termed the episode a ‘bad omen’. Some also remarked that if the incident reaches CM MK Stalin or senior forest officials, questions could be raised about the arrangements made for the event and the hurried manner in which it was organised.
Senthil Kumar
Chit deal behind doors
The son of a DMK councillor in Erode Corporation, who usually runs a Deepavali chit scheme, is facing complaints from more than 200 subscribers who claim they were not repaid their money for 2024. The affected persons have allegedly approached the police, but no action has been taken so far. Amid this, a person holding a key post in the urban DMK and said to be the husband of an influential figure in the corporation recently mediated talks between the parties at the mayor’s office during the mayor’s absence. Though the issue was allegedly settled, the venue of the talks has triggered controversy.
P Srinivasan
Compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E