QChennai: DMDK Names Candidates, Senior Member Quits Kamal’s MNM
Here is your roundup of the top stories from Chennai.
1. DMDK Names Candidates for Lok Sabha Polls in Tamil Nadu
NDA constituent DMDK announced its candidates for the four Lok Sabha seats allotted to it in the AIADMK-led alliance, fielding among others, party founder Vijayakanth's brother-in-law LK Sudhish. Sudhish is the party's Deputy Secretary. In a statement, DMDK founder Vijayakanth announced the candidature of R Azhagarsamy from Virudhunagar and Alagapuram R Mohanraj from Chennai North, while Dr V Ilangovan will fight from Tiruchirappally. Sutheesh has been nominated from the Kallakuruchi Parliamentary constituency.
Azhagarsamy is a senior party leader while Mohanraj is a former MLA who represented Salem North in the 2011-16 state Assembly. He was DMDK's Deputy leader in the Assembly then. Ilangovan is the party's Presidium Chairman.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
2. CK Kumaravel Quits Kamal Haasan’s MNM, Blames Internal Politics
CK Kumaravel, CEO and co-founder of Naturals Salons, has quit actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), citing internal politics. The businessman had joined Kamal’s core team soon after the actor launched his party in February last year.
The businessman says that while he still believes that Kamal has a good vision for Tamil Nadu, the team around the newbie politician has mired itself in politics, unbecoming of a new party. The party issued a statement accepting Kumaravel's resignation on the grounds that he had not acted in keeping with the ‘democratic tenets’ of the party.
Read the full story here.
3. ‘Probe into Sexual Assault Could Take Us Beyond Pollachi’: CB-CID to TNM
The CB-CID in Tamil Nadu, which has been investigating the Pollachi sexual assault and extortion case, is expecting the scope of the probe to go beyond the small town in Coimbatore district. Speaking to TNM, a highly placed source in the investigating team, when asked if the investigation for the case would go beyond the geographic perimeter of Pollachi, said, "Of course, we are expecting that. Based on where the leads take us, we will be moving with the investigation."
Based on the complaint of a victim who approached them, an FIR was filed on 24 February against four men involved in sexually assaulting and blackmailing her with a recorded video of the crime. It was later alleged that they were repeat offenders who have assaulted and extorted money from several women.
(Source: The News Minute)
4. Madurai to Get Two Extra Hours of Polling Due to Chithirai Festival
On account of Madurai’s annual Chithirai festival, polling in Madurai Lok Sabha constituency will be conducted till 8 pm on 18 April. Tamil Nadu’s Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo made the announcement on Monday. This means that while voters in all other constituencies in Tamil Nadu will vote from 7 am to 6 pm on 18 April, Madurai voters will be allowed to vote for two extra hours.
The announcement comes days after the Election Commission of India ruled out the possibility of postponing the date of polling in Madurai due to Chithirai festival.
(Source: The News Minute)
5. Man Back from Malaysia Found Dead in Chennai Lodge
A 40-year-old man, who had arrived from Malaysia, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a lodge in Triplicane. He was identified as Sivakumar from Panruti. Police said that one Sadiq from Malaysia had given some gold to Sivakumar, asking him to hand it over to three men at the airport here.
“The three men, who were waiting to receive the gold, were shocked to see Sivakumar landing in Chennai without gold. When asked, Sivakumar had told them that he had to leave the gold at the Kuala Lumpur because of customs checks there. Not ready to believe him, the three brought Sivakumar to the lodge in Triplicane to decide further course of action,” said a police officer.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
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