The AIADMK party in Tamil Nadu staged a hunger strike in Chennai, demanding a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy that claimed 63 lives. They also called for the dismissal of the DMK government and accused them of supporting illicit liquor trade. The strike saw participation from senior leaders including Edappadi Palaniswami and D Jayakumar. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Assembly suspended AIADMK members for disrupting the proceedings.
The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu witnessed a voter turnout of 69.72% across all 39 constituencies, with the main competition being between the INDIA alliance led by DMK, the AIADMK-led alliance, and the BJP-led NDA. The AIADMK alliance includes AIADMK contesting 32 seats and DMDK contesting 5 seats, while the NDA comprises BJP contesting 19 seats and PMK contesting 10 seats. Other parties contesting in all 39 constituencies include NTK and BSP.
Tamil Nadu Congress chief K. Selvaperunthagai has urged party cadres to strive to regain power in the state to gain political respect from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the leader of the alliance of which it is a part. Selvaperunthagai’s appeal comes more than three weeks after polling for the 39 parliamentary seats in Tamil Nadu ended. The Congress has been a junior partner in the DMK-led alliance since it decided to fight the Lok Sabha elections alone a decade ago and polled just 4.37% of the votes. The party is now struggling to maintain its presence in the state and is being challenged by other parties such as the Naam Tamilar Katchi, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and the Pattali Makkal Katchi.
The ‘rising sun’ symbol, representing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has been an integral part of the party’s identity for over 65 years. Initially recognized as a free symbol, it became synonymous with the DMK in 1958, becoming the party’s official symbol after their performance in the 1957 election. Over the years, the symbol has gained immense popularity, with efforts made by the DMK to spread its reach through various means such as songs and art forms. The symbol remains a strong representation of the party and is now recognized by people all over the state, thanks to the party’s efforts over the years to promote and popularize it.
