The News Minute has been covering the elections for the past few days on the ground. Recently, they published a video interview with TRB Rajaa, DMK Minister for Industries and Investment in Coimbatore. Like any other TNM interview, it was a softball one with questions that favoured the DMK while undermining and deriding the BJP.
The next installment of their coverage was focused on the three candidates in the fray – BJP’s Annamalai, DMK’s Ganapathy Rajkumar, and AIADMK’s Singai Ramachandran.
When the TNM reporter Pooja Prasanna approached Annamalai for an interview, in what seemed like a barging in by Pooja at an election canvassing event, Annamalai turned down her request and told her to get in touch with the media coordinator to fix a time. She requested him over and over again for 5 minutes to speak on Coimbatore but Annamalai politely asked her to check with the media coordinator before fixing up a time. She said, “I have come from Bangalore, just 5 minutes, just a couple of questions.” When Annamalai asked her to check with the coordinator, she said, “I have been trying to get in touch with them. Can I try a little later in the evening?” Annamalai again requested her to discuss it with the coordinator. Then she again ambushed him at another location and kept on egging Annamalai for “a couple of questions.” Once again Annamalai asked her to get in touch with the coordinator. She said, “I spoke with your coordinator, I just have a couple of questions about Coimbatore.” Annamalai, all through these two encounters, politely declined her requests and directed her to the proper channel. They claim that he “ran away” because he could not dare to face a “well-prepared Pooja”
Coimbatore is witnessing the most interesting battle in #TamilNadu. TNM’s @PoojaPrasanna4 travelled to the ground and tells you why the seat is crucial for AIADMK, DMK and most importantly for BJP pic.twitter.com/th8w5pOLbb
— TheNewsMinute (@thenewsminute) April 17, 2024
Well, we know how prepared Pooja can be, especially if it was to ask questions of the DMK and the BJP.
The News Minute and its minions have made this a big issue claiming, “Annamalai ran away like a coward.”
AnnamaLIE gives hajaar interviews everyday when he thinks he can BS his way through.
But he runs away like a coward when he knows that a well-prepared journalist like @PoojaPrasanna4 can expose him, just like @dhanyarajendran roasted him last year. pic.twitter.com/eALbpOxd8n
— Ram (@madarassi) April 17, 2024
However, The News Minute would not raise any questions against Dayanidhi Maran who did not even pay heed to the requests of an India Today journalist a few days ago – they will not support fellow journalists too, in solidarity. When approached by India Today’s ‘So South’ anchor Akshita Nandagopal for a brief discussion on Chennai Central constituency, Maran hastily retreated, ignoring the reporter’s attempts to engage him in dialogue, even when assured of discussing only local issues without controversy. Akshita said, “Sir, just a few minutes on Chennai Central and nothing else… No controversy sir.” Maran was seen quickly boarding his campaign jeep, accompanied by HR&CE Minister P K Sekar Babu, thus avoiding further media interaction.
Why is maran running away from the media? pic.twitter.com/6zPEaN79aH
— Vishwatma 🇮🇳 ( மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@HLKodo) April 17, 2024
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