Kannadiga can't rule TN: Pro-Tamil group protests Rajini's political entry

May 22, 2017

Chennai, May 22: Members of a fringe pro-Tamil outfit on Monday burnt an effigy of actor Rajinikanth, opposing his entry into politics.

With the 'Tamizhar Munnetra Padai' planning to picket the actor's house at Poes Garden, security was stepped up there.

The slogan-raising activists burnt an effigy of the actor at the busy Cathedral Road, police said, adding that scores of members of the outfit were detained.

The activists raised slogans against Rajinikanth's possible entry into politics, an issue which has gained steam following his hints last week that he could take the plunge.

The actor's Kannada origins are often a focal point of discussion in Tamil Nadu, with pro-Tamil groups raising the pitch whenever the Cauvery river water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka escalates.

Intense speculation has ruled the grapevine for the past couple of days about the Tamil superstar’s entry into politics after Rajinikanth, in an interaction with fans, said that he is a “Pachchai Thamizhan” and asked them to be prepared for “war”. Last week, the superstar said he would join politics if 'God wants me to'.

A number of BJP leaders have warmed up to the idea of Rajinikanth joining the party. Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan had welcomed the star to join the BJP, and the party’s Tamil Nadu chief Tamilisai Sounderajan had on Sunday said that BJP would be strengthened if Rajinikanth joined the party.

BJP chief Amit Shah had also expressed his approval of the Superstar joining the saffron party. According to reports, Amit Shah said to a news channel, “Every good person is welcome to join politics,” but added that only Rajini could decide when to enter politics.

But Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday also said he was not aware of any possible meeting between actor Rajinikanth and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

”Rajinikanth is a great actor. Modi is a great leader. If he wants to meet the Prime Minister, there is no problem", Naidu told reporters in Bengaluru.

But Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief S Thirunavukkarasar said that he believes that Rajinikanth, who is his friend since 35-40 years, will float his own party.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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