logo
Kamal Haasan in Parliament soon? DMK allots a Rajya Sabha seat to actor's Makkal Needhi Maiam

Kamal Haasan in Parliament soon? DMK allots a Rajya Sabha seat to actor's Makkal Needhi Maiam

Economic Times28-05-2025

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam revealed its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. One seat is given to Makkal Needhi Maiam, led by Kamal Haasan. Advocate P Wilson and SR Sivalingam are the DMK candidates. The Election Commission announced polls for eight Rajya Sabha seats. Six seats are from Tamil Nadu and two from Assam. Members are retiring soon.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Wednesday announced its candidates for the upcoming June 19 biennial Rajya Sabha polls, with one allocated to actor Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam The Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Wednesday announced that it would contest 4 out of the 6 seats. Additionally, the party has re-nominated its incumbent member in the Upper House, senior advocate P Wilson with Salem-based leader SR Sivalingam and Ruqayya Malik alias Kavignar Salma, a poet, writer and party office-bearer.The Election Commission on Monday announced that it is conducting polls for eight Rajya Sabha seats — two from Assam and six from Tamil Nadu. These seats are going to be vacant due to the retirement of members. Six members from Tamil Nadu are going to retire in July whereas the remaining two from Assam will complete their tenures next month.Three members out of six from Tamil Nadu belong to the DMK whereas one each belongs to AIADMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and MDMK. Parties' current strength in the state assembly indicates that either DMK may improve its tally from three to four or its alliance partner Congress may get one seat from Tamil Nadu, improving UPA's tally in Upper House.Counting of votes will take place on the evening of 19 June, concluding the election process.Hassan formed MNM in 2018 but faced defeats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2021 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. Later, MNM extended support to the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance candidate during the by-polls in Erode. Also, Hassan was seen alongside Congress MP Rahul Gandhi embarking on his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra when it reached Tamil Nadu earlier in December 2022.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Operation Sindoor not over, paused after Pakistan pleading: Rajnath Singh
Operation Sindoor not over, paused after Pakistan pleading: Rajnath Singh

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

Operation Sindoor not over, paused after Pakistan pleading: Rajnath Singh

UDHAMPUR/SRINAGAR: Operation Sindoor was paused only after Pakistan pleaded for a ceasefire, defence minister Rajnath Singh said Saturday, adding that the operation was not over yet, and India was ready to take any action against terrorism. Addressing troops of Army's Udhampur-based Northern Command on the 11th International Day of Yoga, Singh said: "Operation Sindoor is the natural progression of surgical strike of 2016 and the airstrike of 2019. It was executed in such a way that Pakistan requested for a ceasefire, and only then we put a pause. As I have said earlier, Operation Sindoor is not over yet. India is fully prepared to take all kinds of action against terrorism. " Singh warned Pakistan that the military operation - a response to the Pahalgam attack - was a clear message that it will face the consequences for supporting terror activities against India. Stating that the country's social and communal unity was targeted through the Pahalgam attack, Singh asserted that Operation Sindoor had conveyed to Pakistan that its policy of bleeding India with thousand cuts would not succeed. Pakistan wanted to weaken India from within, but it should never forget that just like Major Somnath Sharma, Brigadier Usman, too, had sacrificed his life for the unity and integrity of the country, Singh said. Singh appreciated the inclination of the armed forces towards yoga, saying it had a direct impact on their discipline and focus. "Yoga gives clarity to the people in chaos. It is an art, science, philosophy and spirituality. It makes us proactive, not reactive."

Bombing Iran might do the opposite of what the west wants, Medvedev warns against forcing Tehran into a corner
Bombing Iran might do the opposite of what the west wants, Medvedev warns against forcing Tehran into a corner

Economic Times

time2 hours ago

  • Economic Times

Bombing Iran might do the opposite of what the west wants, Medvedev warns against forcing Tehran into a corner

Reuters Medvedev predicted that any attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear infrastructure, whether by Israel or the United States, could provoke a severe response, and it would prompt Iran to cement its nuclear aspirations. (File Photo) Dmitry Medvedev, the outspoken former President of Russia, has shared a post with a warning over the possibility of military strikes targeting Iran's nuclear program by Israel. In a strongly worded post on X, Medvedev questioned the global double standards on nuclear weapons and cautioned against the consequences of trying to eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities by force.'Why is it OK for Tel Aviv but not OK for Tehran?' Medvedev asked, suggesting that Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal remains untouched and never questioned, while Iran is routinely targeted, but it is not known if they have any nuclear weapons. He proposed what was once called the 'zero option', a mutual disarmament of nuclear capabilities under the supervision of the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).'Let them both abandon such programs,' Medvedev wrote. 'They will refuse, of course. And no strikes will help, 100%,' he added, arguing that Iran sees its nuclear program as essential to its survival, which the west thinks is a threat. The former Russian leader, who is also the current Deputy Chair of the Russian Security Council, also suggested that any attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear infrastructure, whether by Israel or the United States, could provoke a severe response. 'If it does have nuclear weapons, [Iran] will definitely use them. And if not, it will rebuild this program at any cost,' he warned. Medvedev's current stance stands in contrast to actions taken during his own presidency (2008–2012), when Russia aligned itself with international efforts to pressure and sanction Iran over its nuclear ambitions. In June 2010, following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929, Medvedev signed a decree that banned Iranian investments in Russia's uranium production and nuclear sectors. The measure was part of a package of sanctions intended to push Iran toward compliance with international nuclear also suspended selling S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Iran as part of that decree. This advanced defense platform had been part of a previous agreement between the two nations. The move was seen as a significant gesture of Russia's support for the UN-led sanctions regime at the time.

Farooq Abdullah warns of Supreme Court move if Jammu & Kashmir statehood not restored
Farooq Abdullah warns of Supreme Court move if Jammu & Kashmir statehood not restored

Time of India

time3 hours ago

  • Time of India

Farooq Abdullah warns of Supreme Court move if Jammu & Kashmir statehood not restored

National Conference's Farfooq Abdullah SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah blamed the "dual power structure" in the Union territory for the slow pace of development and warned that his party would move SC if statehood isn't restored soon. It is the first time NC has openly threatened legal action on restoration of statehood for Jammu & Kashmir. Abdullah said Saturday that people's expectations remain unmet due to the lack of full statehood despite formation of an elected govt in Oct 2024 - the first in J&K since 2018 and after region was carved into two UTs in 2019. "People hoped the new govt would address their demands, but the absence of statehood is a major obstacle," he said after a meeting with party delegates at Kokernag in south Kashmir's Anantnag district. "How can we fulfil aspirations without statehood? Only with it can we have a full-fledged cabinet capable of addressing public issues effectively," he added. Abdullah said his party had launched an outreach campaign to make people aware of "certain political forces ready to compromise their interests". He added that after NC-led coalition's eight months in office, he remains hopeful about the return of statehood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "We have been waiting patiently. But if the delay continues, we will have little option but to approach Supreme Court." The "power struggle" between National Conference-led elected govt and lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha has grown increasingly public. This month, cabinet ministers accused Sinha of interfering in administrative decisions reserved for govt. Sinha had pushed back. "I have no authority over development departments. Governance is elected govt's responsibility. I only control police & can deploy them where needed. Roads, water, electricity, agriculture - all are under elected govt," he said. Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone backed the demand for statehood but criticised NC's record in office. "UT status certainly limits development and is a humiliating existence. But whatever powers exist, NC govt has not utilised them. Instead, they've weaponised govt transfers and discriminated against constituencies they didn't win," Lone said. He also questioned the concentration of power in CMO. "CM has 32 depts. Is it humanly possible to run 32 departments?" Lone asked.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store