Kamal Haasan's MNM to contest in 154 seats in Tamil Nadu; allots 80 seats to allies

News Network
March 9, 2021

Chennai, Mar 9: Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of actor Kamal Haasan has stitched together an alliance with All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) and Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK), positioning it as the “First Front” for the April 6 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu.

According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two parties late Monday night, MNM will contest in 154 seats, while AISMK and IJK will field candidates in 40 constituencies each. A day after the agreement was signed, Kamal Haasan held a press conference along with AISMK chief and his colleague from tinsel town, R Sarathkumar, and IJK president Ravi Pachamuthu on Tuesday evening and got himself announced as the Chief Ministerial face.

“We are the First Front. We have come together for the welfare of the state and people... this is the people's front. When Mahatma Gandhi launched the freedom struggle, the rich were not part of him. Likewise, people will support us. You will know that soon,” Kamal Haasan said.

He was responding to a question on why not many parties are “reluctant” to join the MNM alliance when it calls itself the “First Front". MNM, which scored 3.7 per cent of votes in its debut elections in 2019, projects itself as an “alternative” to the two Dravidian majors that have ruled Tamil Nadu alternatively since 1967.

Kamal Haasan said he was opposed to both the AIADMK and DMK, while he apparently kept the options open if actor Vijayakanth's DMDK expresses interest in joining his alliance. “We will welcome people when they come to us. We will find space for them,” he said.

Meanwhile, MNM Vice-President V Ponraj, who was Scientific Advisor to former president A P J Abdul Kalam, invited DMDK to join the alliance led by his party. DMDK quit the AIADMK-BJP alliance on Tuesday after talks failed.

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News Network
February 11,2025

Mysuru: On Monday night, tensions escalated in front of Mysuru's Udayagiri Police Station as thousands gathered to protest a controversial social media post. The post, which critics say portrayed Muslims negatively, featured images resembling political figures Rahul Gandhi, Aravind Kejriwal, and Akhilesh Yadav, and was titled "three idiots." The post also showed a person performing namaz with Arabic script prominently displayed, further intensifying the allegations of communal insensitivity.

Protesters blocked Mahadevapura Main Road and, at times, resorted to stone pelting directed at the police station, police vehicles, and public property. In response, law enforcement used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. The ensuing clashes resulted in injuries to several people, including both protestors and police personnel.

By Tuesday morning, normalcy had largely returned. Senior officials—including ADGP R. Hitendra, Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, and DCPs M. Muthuraj and S. Janhnavi—visited the police station to review the situation. Security was significantly increased around the area, and civic workers from the Mysuru City Corporation cleared stones and debris left behind by the demonstrators.

Police have initiated a suo moto case and arrested 32-year-old Suresh, a resident of Kalyangiri Nagar, in connection with the incident. The unrest not only disrupted pedestrian movement but also significantly hampered traffic on Mahadevapura Main Road and its intersections, with city buses bearing the brunt of the blockade.

Despite initial dispersal following police action, the mob reconvened within minutes. It was only around midnight, after assurances from senior police officials—including DCP Muthuraj—that strict action would be taken against those responsible, that the protesters finally dispersed.

Speaking to media on Tuesday morning, ADGP R. Hitendra confirmed that seven police personnel were injured during the stone pelting and announced that a special team had been formed to identify and apprehend the instigators. “The mob was misled by certain individuals who believed that the accused, who shared the derogatory post, would be let off. We will probe thoroughly to determine who is behind this incident,” he stated. 

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News Network
February 2,2025

indianwomenchamps.jpg

Opener Gongadi Trisha scored 44 as India defeated South Africa by nine wickets in the final match of the Women's U19 T20 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Chasing only 83 runs, India did not face much difficulty as they lost just one wicket and went across the line in just 11.2 overs.

Earlier, contributions from the entire bowling unit helped India bundled out South Africa for 82 in 20 overs in the final of Women's U19 T20 World Cup on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur.

Asked to bowl first, India made immediate impact with back-to-back wickets. With this, India lifted their second consecutive U19 Women's World Cup title.

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Agencies
February 3,2025

The Indian rupee plummeted to a historic low of 87.29 per dollar on Monday. This decline is attributed to escalating trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump amid global market uncertainties.

Having already depreciated over 1.5% this year, the rupee's latest tumble is regarded as a repercussion of tariff measures enforced by the US government. The currency opened with a substantial gap-down of 43 paise, hitting a low of 87.29 before rebounding to 87.13 following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention. 

Currency expert KN Dey explained to ANI that the tariff war, ignited by the US against Canada, Mexico, and China, is responsible for the rupee's decline. KN Dey noted, "Rupee opened with a gap of 43 paisa which was one of the highest gap openings, touched a new low of 87.29, but is now trading at 87.13 due to RBI intervention."

The situation remains fluid as President Trump has also hinted at possible tariffs on BRICS nations, including India. KN Dey cautioned, "Though Trump has been threatening BRICS countries also, it remains as to when he would press the button. This could be a knee-jerk reaction on the Rupee, but it's better to wait and watch for a couple of days." 

On a broader scale, this pressure on the rupee is mirrored by a strengthening US dollar against global currencies. Monday saw the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso dip to multi-year lows and the Chinese yuan weaken to a historic low. The US government announced an imminent 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

Market analysts suggest this may be a short-term reaction, with investors advised to observe how circumstances develop. The unfolding situation is anticipated to shape market movements significantly.

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