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Hindu Munnani Slams HR&CE Over Neglect Of 1,500-Year-Old Theni Temple

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The Commune
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Hindu Munnani Slams HR&CE Over Neglect Of 1,500-Year-Old Theni Temple

Hindu Munnani has criticised the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department for allegedly failing to renovate the 1,500-year-old Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Rajadhani village of Andipatti taluk.

According to the organisation, the ancient temple holds significant cultural importance in the region. During the annual Madurai Chithirai festival, devotees from 18 surrounding villages traditionally carry the ritual sprout offering (Mulaipari) on foot from this temple to offer prayers when Kallazhagar enters the river.

Hindu Munnani state general secretary Muruganandam recently visited the temple and conducted an inspection. Addressing reporters afterwards, he alleged that no renovation work had been undertaken by the state government over the past five years.

Muruganandam urged the authorities to immediately restore the temple. He said that if the government was unwilling to carry out the renovation, it should permit local residents to undertake the work themselves, noting that the temple is deeply tied to the emotional and cultural life of the village community.

He also warned that Hindu Munnani would organise large-scale protests across Tamil Nadu against the HR&CE Department if steps were not taken promptly.

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‘Gelusil For Acidity, Burnol For Burns’: BJP’s Annamalai Gives Sharp Reply To Modi Hater Prakash Raj’s ‘Unsolicited Advice’

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The Commune
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Gelusil For Acidity, Burnol For Burns: BJP's Annamalai Gives Sharp Reply To Modi Hater Prakash Raj's 'Unsolicited Advice'

BJP leader K Annamalai showcased his trademark sharp wit on social media after actor Prakash Raj took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest digital milestone.

The exchange began after Modi’s official Instagram account crossed the 100 million followers mark, a significant social media achievement for any global political leader. Celebrating the moment on X, Annamalai wrote that while others lose sleep trying to “crack the algorithm,” the Prime Minister “doesn’t crack it, he is the algorithm,” adding that Modi defines trends the world follows.

Soon after, radical leftist and DMK stooge who is also a known Modi hater, Prakash Raj responded with a terse remark: “Any use??? The Nation wants to know #justasking,” appearing to question the relevance of the follower milestone.

Annamalai quickly fired back with a pointed and humorous retort. Addressing the actor as “Anna,” he posted what he called unsolicited advice, and said, “Anna. Unsolicited advice! Gelusil for the acidity and Burnol for the burns, both might come in handy right about now. #justsaying”

Prime Minister Modi remains one of the most-followed political leaders globally on social media platforms, and the latest milestone has once again highlighted the growing role of digital reach in contemporary political messaging.

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Four Hikes, Five Years: Domestic Electricity Tariffs Jump 272% Under Dravidian Model DMK Govt

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The Commune
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Four Hikes, Five Years: Domestic Electricity Tariffs Jump 272% Under Dravidian Model

BJP Tamil Nadu unit shared a graphic indicating the electricity bill hikes that have occurred over the past 5 years under the Dravidian model government.

Let us take a look at how the hikes were put in place.

Back in 2021, a household consuming 800 units of electricity cost ₹1,280. The same electricity consumption now attracts a bill of ₹4,770 in 2026, a 272% increase in just five years of DMK rule.

Let us break this down even further.

Four Hikes in Five Years

When the DMK government took office in May 2021, Tamil Nadu’s domestic electricity tariff was one of the most affordable in South India. That changed dramatically in September 2022, when the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) approved a sweeping tariff revision – hiking rates by 12% to 52% in 2022 depending on the consumer category, with domestic consumers in higher slabs bearing the steepest increases.

That was just the beginning. TNERC also embedded an automatic annual escalation mechanism into the 2022 Tariff Order, linking future hikes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), capped at 6%, to take effect every 1 July from 2023-24 through 2026-27.

What followed was a predictable chain: a 2.18% hike in July 2023 (the state absorbed this via subsidy), a 4.83% hike in July 2024 (no subsidy given), and a 3.16% hike in July 2025, the last of which was announced close to midnight and drew sharp public outrage.

The current slab rate for consumption between 601 and 800 units now stands at ₹9.65 per unit, compared to far lower rates in 2021.

TANGEDCO’s Debt Crisis: The Underlying Driver

The government’s defence has consistently been that tariff hikes were financially unavoidable. TANGEDCO faced a revenue deficit of ₹12,504 crore in 2022-23 alone, even after the massive September 2022 revision, against an aggregate revenue requirement of ₹71,940 crore.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and other DMK leaders pointed fingers at the previous AIADMK government’s acceptance of the UDAY scheme, a central government power sector debt restructuring programme, as the root cause of TANGEDCO’s accumulated liabilities

Interestingly, the DMK government recently announced free electricity as one of its schemes in the poll-bound state which was slammed by the Supreme Court. On 18 February 2026, when the Supreme Court publicly reprimanded the Tamil Nadu government over an entirely contradictory policy move. Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL), backed by the DMK government, had filed a petition proposing to offer free electricity to all consumers regardless of their financial status and challenging the Electricity Amendment Rules 2024 which restrict such schemes.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant was withering in its response. “Who will pay for it? This is tax money,” the court asked, pointing out that the same utility that had been hiking tariffs year after year was now suddenly seeking to give power away for free ahead of elections. “Why are schemes suddenly announced near elections? We will be hampering the development of the nation if we keep on having this largesse distribution,” the bench said, issuing notice to the Centre and all parties involved.

With Assembly elections approaching, electricity pricing is fast emerging as a key political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu.

For ordinary households in Tamil Nadu, the arithmetic is hard to ignore: what cost ₹1,280 five years ago now costs ₹4,770 and the promise of free electricity, once celebrated as a DMK flagship, is now being questioned in the country’s highest court.

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Once Jayalalithaa’s Trusted Man, Is OPS Now Set To Join DMK?

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The Commune
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Once Jayalalithaa’s Stand-In, OPS Now Set To Join DMK?

Three-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS), 75, is widely expected to join the DMK on Friday, 27 February 2026, according to multiple political sources, in a move that could reshape the state’s pre-election landscape.

Sources indicated that OPS may meet Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam, the party headquarters in Chennai, before Stalin departs for the DMK western zone booth agents’ conference in Coimbatore. His reported visit has triggered intense speculation over whether he will formally join the DMK or extend electoral support to the ruling party’s alliance ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Senior DMK functionaries confirmed that back-channel communication had taken place in recent weeks. Party insiders said OPS had been sending feelers to the DMK and that discussions culminated after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami firmly ruled out taking him back into the party. The situation reportedly hardened further after Palaniswami welcomed AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran into the NDA fold.

OPS has been engaged in a prolonged but unsuccessful legal and political battle to regain his position within the AIADMK, including proceedings before the Election Commission of India. His position weakened further as several key supporters drifted away. Former allies R. Vaithilingam and Paul Manoj Pandian resigned their MLA posts and joined the DMK earlier, while others such as Ku. Pa. Krishnan and JCD Prabhakar moved towards the TTV Dhinakaran camp. MP Dharmar aligned with the Edappadi Palaniswami faction, and Panruti Ramachandran launched a new political outfit, declaring that OPS’s political phase had effectively ended.

Political observers note that OPS had earlier placed considerable faith in the BJP and remained keen on re-entering the AIADMK fold. However, after the BJP chose to work with the EPS-led AIADMK, OPS withdrew from the NDA in August, citing humiliation from the BJP camp. Months later, he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and reportedly conveyed that he would not return to the NDA unless the AIADMK factions were unified. OPS later indicated that Shah had described the DMK alliance as strong enough to defeat a divided AIADMK.

Against this backdrop, OPS is said to have concluded that aligning with the DMK was his most viable political option. Close aides acknowledged that the decision was difficult and faced resistance within sections of his family but argued that joining a major political force was necessary for OPS to remain relevant and effectively challenge Palaniswami.

Speculation about the shift intensified after OPS recently met Chief Minister Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin along with his son, former MP OP Ravindranath. Ravindranath himself is now also reported to be among those likely to join the DMK.

Within the Assembly, OPS-supporting Usilampatti MLA Ayyappan had already publicly predicted the DMK’s return to power. Ayyappan too is said to be preparing to resign his Assembly seat and cross over to the ruling party.

There is also discussion within DMK circles about a possible electoral berth for OPS. Party sources suggested he could be fielded from Bodinayakkanur in Theni district, the constituency he won in 2021, though some leaders noted there are existing aspirants for the seat and an alternative constituency in the region could be considered.

OPS’s political journey has been closely tied to late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who appointed him stand-in Chief Minister twice, in 2001 and 2014. He assumed the top post again briefly in 2016 following her death but lost power within months. He later served as Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK joint coordinator before his differences with Palaniswami escalated. In July 2022, the AIADMK amended its bylaws to abolish the dual leadership model and formally expelled OPS.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, OPS contested independently from Ramanathapuram and finished second with 3.42 lakh votes, demonstrating that he still retained a measurable vote base despite political setbacks.

With the Assembly election approaching, OPS’s anticipated move to the DMK, potentially accompanied by key loyalists, has injected fresh volatility into Tamil Nadu politics and set the stage for a new phase in the long-running AIADMK power struggle.

Source: OneIndia Tamil

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Congress-DMK Rift Widens: After Congress Sought Votes In DMK-Held Madurai North, DMK Hits Back With Posters In Same Constituency

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The Commune
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Congress-DMK Rift Widens: After Congress Sought Votes In DMK-Held Madurai North, DMK Hits Back With Posters In Same Constituency

Tensions within the DMK-led alliance have spilled once again onto the streets of Madurai North, where rival poster campaigns by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Indian National Congress have exposed growing friction between the two partners even before seat-sharing talks are finalised.

The latest flashpoint came after DMK functionaries plastered fresh posters across Madurai North in February declaring support for sitting MLA K. Thalapathi. The posters carried messages urging that Thalapathi should “continue” and “win Madurai North,” signalling the DMK’s intent to retain the constituency.

 

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The move follows an earlier round of Congress posters that had appeared in January 2026 across several parts of the constituency. Those posters urged voters to support the Congress “hand” symbol and appealed to the electorate of Madurai North, creating the impression that the party was preparing to contest the seat.

Congress workers had put up the posters in January 2026 despite the fact that Madurai North is currently represented by a DMK MLA, and no formal allocation of constituencies has yet been announced within the alliance.

While the Congress material did not name any specific candidate, the messaging was widely interpreted within DMK circles as a pre-emptive claim over the seat. The development triggered unease among DMK cadres and fuelled speculation about strain within the alliance.

War of Words Before the Posters

The poster confrontation comes in the backdrop of sharp remarks made earlier by Madurai North MLA K. Thalapathi, who is also the DMK’s Madurai city district secretary.

Speaking at a public meeting held to mark Language Struggle Martyrs’ Day, Thalapathi had criticised the Congress and its MPs, including Manickam Tagore and Jothimani. He alleged that the Congress typically secures only around 3,000 to 4,000 votes in a constituency and lacks the cadre strength even to constitute booth committees.

The comments drew a swift response from Congress leader Manickam Tagore, the Virudhunagar MP, who publicly urged Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to ensure that the party contests the Madurai North Assembly seat. Tagore also raised objections with Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Selva Perunthagai over the DMK leader’s remarks.

DMK Counters With Fresh Posters

With seat-sharing negotiations still unresolved, the DMK’s February poster campaign backing Thalapathi is being viewed by political observers as a countersignal to the Congress.

Local party sources indicate that the duelling poster campaigns have sharpened cadre-level tensions in Madurai North, a constituency the DMK is keen to retain.

Alliance Talks Under Watch

The public display of competing claims has drawn attention because both parties remain partners in the broader alliance framework. However, the latest developments suggest that ground-level positioning has begun well ahead of any formal announcement on constituency allocation.

This also comes amidst Congress suggesting that they could ally with TVK.

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Locals Allege Old, Damaged Poles Used In Minjur ₹1-Crore Substation Inaugurated By DMK MLA

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The Commune
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Locals Allege Old, Damaged Poles Used In Minjur ₹1-Crore Substation Inaugurated By DMK MLA

Allegations of irregularities have surfaced in Minjur after residents claimed that damaged electrical components were used in a newly installed substation built at an estimated cost of ₹1 crore.

The facility was set up in Ward 1 of Minjur Town Panchayat following repeated complaints from residents about frequent power cuts and electricity shortages in the area. Acting on these demands, Ponneri MLA Durai Chandrasekhar inaugurated the substation and opened it for public use.

However, soon after the inauguration, locals alleged that the electric poles at the site were already in a deteriorated condition, with visible cracks and exposed wiring.

Residents further claimed that old poles and electrical materials had been repainted and presented as new during the inauguration. They accused authorities of misusing public funds and demanded an inquiry into the execution of the project.

The allegations have triggered concern in the locality.

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Kumbakonam: Govt School Teacher Arrested Under POCSO Act For Sexually Harassing Seven Class 10 Girls

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The Commune
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Kumbakonam: Govt School Teacher Arrested Under POCSO Act For Sexually Harassing Seven Class 10 Girls

A 56-year-old schoolteacher was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing seven girl students at a government school near Kumbakonam, police said.

The accused has been identified as Raj Manohar, a Social Science teacher at the Government Adi Dravida Higher Secondary School in Kukur village near Nachiyarkoil. The incident took place on 13 February 2026, when he allegedly harassed seven Class 10 students on the school premises.

According to sources, the students immediately reported the matter to the headmaster. Taking the complaint seriously, the headmaster personally met with the Thanjavur District Collector and the District Education Officer, urging immediate disciplinary action against the teacher.

Following the administrative intervention, the parents of the affected students lodged a formal complaint at the Thiruvidaimarudar All-Women Police Station.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and arrested Raj Manohar. He was later produced before a judicial magistrate and remanded to custody.

It is noteworthy that the parents came forward to file the complaint despite the sensitivity of the case, ensuring that the accused teacher faces legal consequences for his actions.

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‘Parties Sprouting Like Mushrooms To Avoid Tax’: Madras High Court Grills TVK Over Roadshow Guidelines Challenge

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The Commune
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'Parties Sprouting Like Mushrooms': Madras High Court Grills TVK Over Roadshow Guidelines Challenge

The Madras High Court on Thursday, 26 February 2026, questioned the challenge mounted by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) against the Tamil Nadu government’s guidelines regulating political roadshows, asking what was objectionable in the rules framed by the state.

The state government had issued the guidelines on 5 January 2026 to regulate roadshows, political processions and public meetings conducted by political parties and organisations.

TVK Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar subsequently filed a petition in the High Court seeking to quash the norms. The matter came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan.

Appearing for TVK, counsel argued that the requirement to apply for permission 30 days in advance to conduct public meetings was arbitrary. The petitioner also contended that granting priority to recognised political parties amounted to discrimination and that responsibilities relating to event safety were being unfairly shifted onto political parties.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned what was wrong with the guidelines and noted that they had been framed pursuant to earlier directions of the High Court following the Karur crowd tragedy.

The Bench observed that several parties were being formed “like mushrooms” merely to obtain income-tax exemptions and that many of them do not even contest elections. It asked what was improper in giving priority to established parties that have contested multiple elections and produced MPs and MLAs. The court also sought to know how many elections TVK had contested.

On behalf of the state, it was submitted that the guidelines were not targeted at TVK but applied uniformly to all political parties. The government further told the court that since the norms apply to gatherings exceeding 5,000 people, some organisers were applying for permission claiming attendance of 4,998 persons in order to bypass the rules.

The state also clarified that when multiple parties seek permission for the same venue and time, preference is given to recognised parties, failing which applications are processed on a first-come-first-served basis. It maintained that the rules were framed without discrimination.

After hearing the submissions, the Bench directed the Tamil Nadu government to file its response within three weeks in the petition filed by TVK and adjourned further hearing of the case.

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Vijay Stays Quiet As Bussy Anand-John Arokiasamy Clash Over TVK Candidate List

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The Commune
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TVK Vijay's Political Strategist John Arokiasamy expresses frustration in Leaked Audio

Signs of internal friction have reportedly surfaced within Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) even as the party accelerates its candidate selection process for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

According to party sources, differences have emerged between TVK General Secretary Bussy Anand and political strategist John Arokiasamy over the criteria for selecting candidates. The disagreement is said to have led to parallel exercises in preparing potential candidate lists.

Sources indicated that Bussy Anand has been advocating that party tickets be given primarily to long-time workers who have been associated with the movement since the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam days and have carried out grassroots welfare activities.

In contrast, John Arokiasamy is reportedly arguing that electoral success would depend on fielding candidates with strong winnability, financial strength and local influence rather than relying solely on organisational loyalty.

The situation has reportedly been further complicated by the role of Aadhav Arjuna, who has been appointed election management general secretary and district in-charge for regions including Chennai, Ranipet and Tiruvallur. He too is said to be preparing a separate list of prospective candidates.

The developments come at a time when TVK has begun a large-scale exercise to identify nominees for all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, the party had invited aspirants to collect application forms from the headquarters for a fee of ₹100. It subsequently required applicants to pay ₹10,000 while submitting the completed forms, and aspirants have continued to file their applications.

Party functionaries and supporters have reportedly expressed concern that internal grievances are not effectively reaching the top leadership and that organisational streamlining remains incomplete. Against this backdrop, the candidate selection process is said to have triggered heightened internal tensions.

The developments assume significance as Tamil Nadu is widely expected to head into Assembly elections soon, with Election Commission officials already having held final-stage consultations in the state. Political observers expect the poll schedule to be announced in the first or second week of March 2026.

Sources within the party claim that a contest over influence among senior functionaries has intensified, leading to uncertainty over who will ultimately be declared official candidates.

Criticism has also reportedly been directed at party president Vijay, with some supporters alleging that he has not been sufficiently engaged in day-to-day organisational matters. However, there has been no official response from the party leadership on these claims.

With multiple power centres said to be emerging within the party structure, observers say TVK faces the immediate challenge of presenting a unified front ahead of the elections.

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Dravidian Model Development: Days After MK Stalin Opens ₹60-Crore Madhya Kailash Flyover, Riders Complain Of Bumpy Ride

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The Commune
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Days After MK Stalin Opens ₹60-Crore Madhya Kailash Flyover, Riders Complain Of Bumpy Ride

Just days after Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated the ₹60-crore Madhya Kailash flyover, commuters have reported an unexpectedly uneven ride along the 652-metre structure, prompting questions over construction quality and execution.

The flyover, opened last week to ease traffic movement from Sardar Patel Road to Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), quickly drew attention after videos showing a bumpy ride began circulating on social media.

According to reports, the first 80 metres from the Sardar Patel Road side, where the Highways Department laid a bituminous macadam approach, appeared smooth. However, the remaining stretch, constructed in concrete, was said to have noticeable undulations.

Experts indicated that only a detailed technical assessment could determine the exact cause. Sampath Kumar, professor of highways and transportation at Sathyabama University, told Times of India the issue could be linked to higher-than-expected deflection in the steel bearings supporting the flyover.

He explained that the structure relies on steel reinforcements tied with steel wiring, which normally deflect within calculated limits when loads pass over them. He noted that if there were inaccuracies during load testing, the reinforcements could deflect more than designed, resulting in a bumpy ride. Over time, he cautioned, excessive deflection could raise structural concerns, including the possibility of cracks developing beneath the deck.

The professor further pointed out that load tests are typically conducted using multi-axle trucks positioned at the centre of the flyover and said it would need to be examined why smaller vehicles such as cars and two-wheelers are already experiencing noticeable bumps.

Another possible factor cited was the grade of concrete used. The expert noted that M40 concrete, commonly used in Tamil Nadu, has a finer aggregate mix, whereas higher grades such as M50, and even M90 in some Delhi metro projects, provide greater rigidity.

R. Ramarao, a highways contractor with over three decades of experience and president of the Greater Chennai Contractors Association, reportedly suggested that poor levelling during concrete laying could also cause such undulations. He added that uneven elevation between expansion joints could produce a bumpy feel, noting that even a 10-mm variation could be noticeable to motorists. Rectification, he said, would typically require relaying the concrete, which becomes difficult once the flyover is opened to traffic.

Highways Chief Engineer Jawahar Muthuraj and Superintending Engineer Rajadurai were reported to be in meetings and had not immediately responded to queries.

Another official associated with the project stated that asphalt surfaces generally offer better flatness compared to concrete. The official maintained that the flyover is structurally safe and said the department would examine the complaints, adding that the surface irregularities are expected to settle over time in concrete.

Source: Times of India

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TheCommune
The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
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