TVK leaders hail ‘people’s mandate’ after TN win, vow to deliver on promises

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Chennai, May 5 (IANS) A day after registering a stunning electoral performance, leaders of actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) said the party remains committed to fulfilling its promises and thanked voters for placing their trust in them in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Winning candidates gathered at the party headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai, for a key meeting to chart the future course. The venue witnessed heavy police deployment and barricading in view of the arrival of newly elected representatives.

TVK’s winning candidate from Anna Nagar, V.K. Ramkumar, described the outcome as a landmark moment for the state. “This is a massive victory for Tamil Nadu. We dedicate this win to the people who have placed their trust in us. We will carry forward all the promises made by our leader,” he told IANS.

“This mandate proves that people have the ultimate power in the elections. We hope to deliver the best for the people,” he added.

Abishek R., who won from Polur, said the immediate focus was on internal discussions. “We have gathered here for a meeting and will discuss ways to move forward,” he told IANS.

R.V. Ranjith Kumar, TVK’s winning candidate for the Kancheepuram Assembly constituency, took a swipe at previous governments, alleging widespread corruption.

“Tamil Nadu has only seen corrupt governance. Even in the last five years, they have borrowed 5 lakh crore rupees, leaving the people of Tamil Nadu burdened by debt. A situation exists where only their relatives and kith and kin prosper through such corruption. Because the President of TVK declared he would eradicate corruption, the people of Tamil Nadu have granted him this victory,” he said.

Drawing a historical parallel, he added, “In 1977, M. G. Ramachandran formed the government; now, for the second time in history, Vijay has led a revolution. He will certainly do good for the people, and all the promises made by Thalapathy will be fulfilled. Thalapathy’s approach will be one of cooperation with the Central Government; even yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to TVK. The people’s support for TVK will only continue to grow; it will never diminish.”

The winner from Coimbatore (North), TVK’s V. Sampath Kumar, thanked voters for backing the party’s message.

“We express our gratitude to the voters — those who cast their ballots with the conviction that ‘money is not important to us; doing good for the people is what matters’ — thereby defeating those who were intent on winning the election by spending thousands of crores of rupees,” he said.

Ending nearly six decades of Dravidian dominance in Tamil Nadu politics, TVK has emerged as the surprise winner in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Contesting its maiden election, the party has not only made a dramatic entry but has also secured recognition as a major political force in the state. However, despite its impressive performance, TVK has fallen short of the simple majority mark required to form the government on its own.

In the 234-member Assembly, a party needs at least 118 seats for a clear majority. TVK is currently leading in 108 constituencies, leaving it 10 seats short of the halfway mark.

–IANS

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BJP slams FIR against Amit Malviya, says expressing concern over Bangladesh is no crime

Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS) The BJP on Saturday strongly slammed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for lodging a complaint against the party’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya, which has now been converted into an FIR, asserting that raising concerns over developments in Bangladesh does not amount to a crime.

Speaking to IANS, BJP spokesperson Shatorupa said Malviya had merely expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh, which, she claimed, had caused anxiety among people in West Bengal as well.

“We are deeply disturbed by what is happening in Bangladesh. A Hindu youth was killed, his body tied to a tree and set on fire. Such incidents naturally scare Hindus in Bengal. At the same time, TMC leaders and MLAs like Humayun Kabir have made communally sensitive remarks, including claims about constructing a Babri Masjid in the state. Fundamentalist sentiments are rising in Bengal. Amit Malviya only expressed this concern, but the Trinamool Congress is trying to give it a different twist. We strongly condemn the FIR against our leader,” she said.

The FIR was registered following a complaint by TMC leader Tanmoy Ghosh at the Narendrapur police station under the Baruipur police district. Ghosh alleged that Malviya’s social media post threatened communal harmony and undermined the sovereignty of the country and West Bengal.

The complaint further accused Malviya of attempting to gain political mileage in Bengal by exploiting the unrest in Bangladesh, alleging that his post insulted the state, promoted communal incitement and endangered national sovereignty. Ghosh demanded the strictest legal action against the BJP leader.

There was no immediate official response from Malviya following the registration of the FIR.

However, TMC spokesperson and state secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “We do not support anyone making provocative statements which can create communal tension. Therefore, a complaint has been filed against the BJP leader.”

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has witnessed fresh unrest following the death of Inqilab platform leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Protests and mourning processions erupted across Dhaka, Chittagong and other regions on Thursday night, with students from several higher educational institutions also joining demonstrations. Sit-in protests were held at Shahbagh and elsewhere, which later escalated into violent unrest.

During the violence, offices of leading Bangladeshi newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were attacked, with the latter reportedly set on fire. The cultural institution Chhayanaut in Dhaka was vandalised. A Hindu youth was beaten to death, his body later hung from a tree and set ablaze.

Sharing videos of these incidents on X, Malviya warned that the rise of fundamentalism in Bangladesh could have implications for West Bengal.

“Last night, Islamist mobs vandalised Chhayanaut Bhavan, a historic institution and a cornerstone of Bengali arts and culture in Dhaka. The pattern unfolding in Bangladesh is unmistakable — attacks on media houses, journalists and cultural centres under Islamist pressure and intimidation. This is a warning,” Malviya wrote.

He further stated that prolonged political patronage, institutional erosion and selective silence were pushing West Bengal onto a “dangerous path,” adding that if the current regime continued beyond 2026, the consequences for the state would be “irreversible.”

Reacting sharply, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh described Malviya’s post as “dangerous” and provocative.

“Comparing Bangladesh with West Bengal is not only an insult to our state but also a clear provocation. Police should urgently book him and take appropriate legal action,” Ghosh said in a post on X.

However, Ghosh also said that the situation in Bangladesh was serious and that the TMC was refraining from detailed comment as it involved international affairs.

“Our leadership is closely monitoring developments in the national interest. We support the stand taken by the Government of India. Minorities, Indians and media persons in Bangladesh must be protected. The Central government should take necessary steps and issue a statement,” he added.

–IANS

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Wanted in 2019 Behror jailbreak case, gangster Lara arrested by Raj Police in Haryana

Jaipur, May 21 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Rajasthan Police has arrested a gangster named Rajveer Gurjar alias Lara from Haryana, who carried a bounty of Rs one lakh on his head.

The 32-year-old criminal is a resident of Khairoli village under the Mahendragarh police station, Haryana and was arrested in Rewari.

Lara had been absconding for over five years in the sensational jailbreak case involving notorious gangster Vikram Gurjar alias Papla from Behror police station.

According to Additional Director General of Police (AGTF & Crime) Dinesh M.N., over 30 armed men led by Rajveer Gurjar alias Lara stormed the Behror police station in Rajasthan using AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons, and managed to free Haryana’s infamous gangster Vikram Gurjar alias Papla, a resident of Khairoli, district Mahendragarh, who was arrested by Behror police along with a Scorpio vehicle and Rs 31.90 lakh in cash. The dramatic incident took place on the intervening night of September 5-6, 2019, when Papla was taken out of prison by the accused and his accomplices.

Seventeen months after the incident, on the night of January 27-28, 2021, Papla Gurjar was re-arrested from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, along with his girlfriend Jiya by the Emergency Response Team (ERT) under the leadership of ASP Bhiwadi Siddhant Sharma. So far, 32 accused have been arrested in the case. However, Lara had remained at large, with a bounty of Rs one lakh announced for his capture.

A special AGTF team was constituted to track and apprehend Lara, operating under the coordination of DIG Yogesh Yadav, supervision of ASP Siddhant Sharma, and leadership of DSP Phoolchand Taylor.

The operation was codenamed “Operation Lara” — a reference to Rajveer Gurjar’s childhood cricketing skills, which had earned him the nickname “Lara” in his village.

During the search, police discovered that Rajveer Gurjar had completely distanced himself from mobile phones and social media to evade arrest. He also severed ties with family, friends, and former associates. His movements remained low-profile, and he lived in isolation. Over the past six years, Gurjar is believed to have lived in 18-20 different states, including Vijay Nagar (Karnataka), Kolhapur and Nashik (Maharashtra), Goa, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), and various locations in Delhi and Haryana. He frequently changed his appearance and used aliases while travelling long distances by train and bus, never staying in one place for long.

Following his arrest, a search based on information provided by Gurjar led to the recovery of an AK-56 rifle with a double magazine and seven live cartridges. Constable Sudhir Kumar from the Bhiwadi unit of AGTF played a key role in the operation and the subsequent recovery.

The police said that Lara is a habitual offender involved in multiple serious crimes, including murder and assault.

–IANS

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J&K: Arms & ammunition recovered in Poonch district

Jammu, July 10 (IANS) A large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered on Thursday by the security forces during a CASO (Cordon & Search Operation) in J&K’s Poonch district.

Officials said that based on specific intelligence inputs, a CASO was started by the security forces in the Khanetar Top area of Poonch district.

An official said that intelligence input had indicated a possible presence of a terror consignment in the area.

“During the search, the joint team recovered two pistols along with two magazines, 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), six hand grenades, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and an electronic set,” he said.

The official pointed out that seized arms and ammunition appear to be part of a larger network of weapons smuggling aimed at reviving terrorism in the region.

“The recovery of IEDs and an electronic device suggests the possibility that the terrorists were planning some attack,” the official said.

After the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam in which Pakistan-backed LeT terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them on the basis of religion, security forces have been aggressively carrying out operations against terrorists, their Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and sympathisers.

The OGWs network of terror groups, according to intelligence agencies, provides logistic support, shelter, recce, etc, for the terrorists.

J&K L-G, during a security review meeting, asked the security forces and the J&K Police to “dismantle” the ecosystem of terrorism, which includes terrorists, OGWs, sympathisers, drug smugglers and hawala money racketeers.

Intelligence agencies say that the proceeds of drug smuggling and hawala money rackets are ultimately used to support terrorism in J&K.

After the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a free hand to the armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam attack.

Armed forces carried out target-specific strikes against terror infrastructure in Muridke near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

–IANS

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