Puducherry Road Transport Corporation contract staff launch indefinite stir
The protestors complained that staffers, some of whom had been working for over 11 years, had not been absorbed as regular employees. The contract staff demanded job regularisation without further delay and the implementation of all benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission.
Leader of Opposition and DMK convenor R. Siva addressed a protest meeting and condemned the PRTC management for ignoring the demands of the staff. L. Sambath, MLA, and several leaders of the DMK and staff unions participated in the protest meeting.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Denied meeting with Modi, OPS walks out of NDA, keeps political opponents guessing next move
He also said OPS would begin his state-wide tour ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections after taking stock of the prevailing political scenario in Tamil Nadu. 'At present, we are not in alliance with any party,' Ramachandran said in response to a question about whether OPS would consider an alliance with another party ahead of the state polls. Speaking to reporters here Thursday, OPS adviser and former state minister Panruti S. Ramachandran said, 'We are breaking the alliance with NDA. You all know the reason.' Chennai: Days after PM Narendra Modi declined to meet him and hours after he met Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin during a morning walk in Adyar, former AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam (OPS) Thursday walked out of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Not long after Modi declined to meet him, OPS publicly began to criticise the BJP-led central government for 'withholding funds' under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Scheme—marking a shift from his earlier pro-BJP stance. On whether he would consider teaming up with actor-turned politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), former chief minister OPS said, 'Time will tell, and there is still time for elections.' Later in the evening, OPS met Stalin at his residence. Speaking to reporters, he said it was a formal meeting to inquire about his health and 'no politics was discussed'. Asked if he would join the DMK-led alliance, he said, 'Anything can happen in politics. There is enough time for elections. There is no permanent friend and permanent enemy in politics.' OPS was always seen as Modi's man in the AIADMK. He himself publicly told supporters in July 2017 that he decided to combine forces with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) at the behest of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Former coordinator of the AIADMK, OPS was expelled from the party in July 2022 and has since been heading the AIADMK Cadres Rights Retrieval Committee—while legally contesting EPS's control of the party. Chennai-based political analysts ThePrint spoke to said OPS has three options, but it has yet to be seen if he can expand his support base. Political analyst N. Sathiya Moorthy underlined that the main issue between OPS and EPS was that the former wanted to lead AIADMK and serve as chief minister. 'Now, if he joins any party, he cannot be the chief ministerial face. Secondly, all these years, OPS is known to have been ideologically aligned with BJP. He cannot wash it off easily to join any of the parties in Tamil Nadu that are anti-BJP including Vijay's TVK.' However, referring to the former AIADMK leader's meeting with Stalin, political commentator Raveenthran Duraisamy said OPS might join DMK and become its 'Maravar face'. The Maravar is a backward community primarily based in southern Tamil Nadu. 'He (OPS) was shown the doors by BJP, hence he cannot go back there. Though TVK and Seeman's NTK are there for him, he might choose DMK over others for a better political space,' Duraisamy told ThePrint. Sathiya Moorthy added that OPS might lose his support base if he joins the DMK, since its opposition to DMK has been a core tenet of the AIADMK. Duraisamy, however, held a somewhat different view. The dynamics in Dravidian politics, he said, changed since the demise of former chief ministers M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa. 'There is no hate against Stalin, unlike his father Karunanidhi. The previous elections data shows AIADMK's votes have moved to DMK. It is also proven that a lot of former AIADMK ministers, including Senthil Balaji, Sekar Babu and K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, are now faring well in DMK as well. Hence, OPS has a good future in the DMK, but he may not reveal it now,' said Duraisamy. Also Read: Why EPS' call for anti-DMK alliance meets only rejection and silence From CM to rebel: OPS's political journey After Jayalalithaa's death on 5 December, 2016, OPS was unanimously elected chief minister by AIADMK MLAs. He had already served as chief minister between 2001 and 2002, and 2014 and 2015 when Jayalalithaa faced disqualification on account of a disproportionate assets case. By 7 February, 2017, OPS opened a front against Jayalalithaa's close aide V.K. Sasikala, who was then elected general secretary of the party and chosen to replace him as chief minister. He sat at Jayalalithaa's memorial and launched a Dharmayudham (war of principles) against Sasikala, who sacked him from the party position. He asserted at the time that he was appointed to the party post by Jayalalithaa and nobody could remove him. Sasikala was convicted in a separate disproportionate assets case, she declared EPS as the next chief minister before going to prison. In August 2017, OPS's faction merged with EPS's faction, after the latter turned against Sasikala and her nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran. On 21 August that year, OPS was sworn in as deputy to CM EPS. In the party structure, OPS held the position of coordinator, while EPS was joint-coordinator, establishing a dual-leadership in the party. However, merger of the factions could not prevent infighting and the dual leadership model collapsed in 2022 in the aftermath of AIADMK's loss to the DMK-led alliance in Assembly polls the previous year. In the AIADMK general council meeting held in July 2022, EPS was unanimously elected interim general secretary and OPS, then coordinator and treasurer of the party, was sacked from primary membership, accused of collaborating with DMK, and attempting to disrupt party activities. OPS has since waged a lonely legal battle to reclaim AIADMK leadership, alleging that the election of general secretary was unfair. The Madras High Court and later the Supreme Court rejected his pleas to stay EPS's election as general secretary. Meanwhile, he also filed a petition with the Election Commission in this regard, in which inquiry is still pending. Despite being expelled from AIADMK, OPS contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Ramanathapuram seat as an Independent with BJP support under the 'Jackfruit' symbol. He lost to IUML's K. Navas Kani. In February 2025, OPS's camp expressed willingness to return to AIADMK, which EPS dismissed. After AIADMK and BJP formally revived their alliance for the 2026 Assembly elections, top BJP leaders including Modi and Shah kept an arm's distance from OPS during their visits to the state. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: AIADMK's Muslim face Anwhar Raajhaa joins DMK, says his former party is 'now in hands of the BJP'
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Will not stall scheme named after CM: HC
Chennai: In a reprieve to the Tamil Nadu govt, Madras high court on Thursday refused to stall the launch of the public health scheme 'Nalam Kaakkum Stalin', named after Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin . The first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan refused any interim relief to former AIADMK law minister C Ve Shanmugam, who alleged that the scheme named after Stalin was in violation of the guidelines set by the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India (ECI). The bench, however, made it clear that any welfare scheme launched by the state must be in strict conformity with the guidelines set by the Supreme Court pertaining to the use of pictures and names of heads of govts. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai When the plea came up for hearing, advocate-general P S Raman submitted that the copies of the advertisements produced by the petitioner, comprising the name of the DMK party and symbol, were not issued by the govt of Tamil Nadu using public funds. Govt advertisements are released only through the Directorate of Public Information (DIPR), which carries a code as part of the advertisement, he added. To this, senior advocate Vijay Narayan, representing the petitioner, submitted that even the social media handle of the govt has shared the advertisements. Raman further alleged that even during the earlier AIADMK govt, every welfare scheme was announced in the name of the former chief minister Jayalalithaa. Representing the DMK, senior advocate P Wilson submitted that the petition moved by the former law minister is nothing but politically motivated litigation. Recording the submissions, the bench directed the Election Commission, the Tamil Nadu govt, and the DMK to file their counter in 10 days. "Meanwhile, we will pass an interim order stating that the guidelines set by the Supreme Court regarding the use of pictures and the name of heads of the govts in govt schemes must be strictly adhered to," the bench said.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Will take steps to get Katchatheevu back: EPS
Madurai: AIADMK has always stood by farmers and fishermen during difficult times right from the times of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, said party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday. The party will continue to fight for favourable policies for them and ensure their livelihoods are protected, he told a meeting with representatives of various fishermen and farmers' associations in Ramanathapuram on Thursday morning. Among the demands put forth by fishermen were a solution to the arrests of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan navy and rescuing those languishing in Sri Lankan prisons. "I will do my best to bring the matter to the attention of the central govt and provide help in whatever way possible. We always take problems faced by farmers and fishermen seriously and take action, unlike DMK," said EPS. He said farmers were being neglected even when they were affected by drought. Addressing his 'Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom' campaign later in the evening at Ramanathapuram and Mudukulathur, EPS said that as many as 806 fishermen were rescued from Sri Lankan prisons, 96 from Iranian prisons, 28 from Qatari prisons, and 11 from Abu Dhabi prisons during the AIADMK period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gentle, Needle-Free Way to Monitor Blood Sugar—Now Being Tried by Seniors Zakdavi Undo "Chief minister M K Stalin and DMK keep on saying they need to get back Katchatheevu, but the reality is that it was Congress who gave it away. It was AIADMK who went to the Supreme Court under former CM J Jayalalithaa regarding the issue. We will definitely take steps to get Katchatheevu back, unlike DMK," said EPS. Fishermen of mechanised fishing boats will get better diesel subsidies when AIADMK comes to power, and it will also be ensured that fishermen get adequate compensation during fishing ban periods, he added. EPS said the AIADMK govt was keen to set up check dams for farmers' benefits, but now farmers were suffering due to drought, especially in areas like Ramanathapuram. Earlier in the day, EPS visited a descendant of Ramnad kings, Raja Nagendra Sethupathi, in Ramanathapuram, who recently joined the party.
