A palm-seed planting event near Tharangambadi in Mayiladuthurai erupted into a chaotic brawl on Friday, right in front of Food Minister P Venkataramanan and Collector HS Srikanth. The clash broke out between supporters of TVK district secretary Gopinath and councillor Rajini, a recent DMK defector. The two factions traded punches over protocol and political precedence at the public function, allegedly reflecting the growing pains and factional friction that come with an influx of leaders from rival parties. As the minister stepped in to calm the warring camps, those watching could almost hear his mind voice, “Enna maa, ippadi panreengale maa!”
Mohamed Salahudeen B
Aide, actress and an abrupt exit
L Murugan says he quit the Union Council of Ministers to strengthen the BJP in TN ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. But party insiders tell a different story. His former aide, removed two months ago following an intelligence report, was included in the team that arranged PM Narendra Modi’s TN visit, angering the Delhi leadership. Party leaders have also questioned Murugan’s contribution to the BJP’s growth in the state. Adding another twist, a media report alleged that a Bollywood actress complained to senior BJP leaders about inappropriate messages attributed to Murugan. None of these allegations has been established as the reason for his exit. For a leader who wants to return to grassroots politics, the ground he must first navigate may well be the gossip surrounding his exit.
Subashini Vijayakumar
Parking outside, shopping inside
Chennai shoppers and mall employees have unlocked a hack to avoid exorbitant mall parking fees by using the surrounding residential streets for free. Shoppers and staff are bypassing basement parking entirely, choosing instead to jam their vehicles between neighbourhood gates and street corners before walking into the mall. One mall owner even complained openly to the police that their own staff treat the official lot like a ghost town. The police responded that they would need a lorry to tow 2,000 gridlocked vehicles if they are planning to seize them. Until mall parking costs less, the neighbourhood roads will remain the city’s favourite unofficial valet zone.
Gautham Selvarajan
