VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html Punjab PSSSB jail warder and matron recruitment deadline closes today; apply here ‘Pallichattambi’ box office collections day 6: Tovino Thomas film collects Rs 9.22 cr India Net; Kayadu Lohar shares gratitude Royals who married commoners: Love stories that defied the crown for the passion | ‘If you attempt to run…’: US helicopter gunner warns ship near Iran port as 27 vessels returned — watch . Two decades after his death, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury continues to anchor Congress’s electoral pitch in Malda, with the party foregrounding his enduring legacy as campaigning for the 2026 assembly election enters its last round.In a district where his imprint still shapes political memory and voter behaviour, Congress seeks to convert nostalgia into votes in a close contest.This has been reinforced by Mausam Benazir Noor’s return to Congress after a seven-year stint with TMC. Noor, the late leader’s niece and a two-time MP, is now contesting from Malatipur. Her comeback is positioned as both a political recalibration and an attempt to revive the emotional connect associated with the Khan Choudhury family.Her return is now being seen as a test of whether the so-called “Barkat da factor” — the enduring appeal of Ghani Khan Choudhury — still holds electoral weight. “We belong to Ghani Khan’s family, and people believe we continue his legacy. Thus, we have a lot of responsibility and obligation as well,” Noor said. “Our party is not in govt in either the state or the Centre, but in Malda, Ghani Khan Choudhury’s legacy keeps Congress relevant and strong.”Campaigning at Maharajpur village in Malatipur, Noor acknowledged the fallout of her 2019 exit from Congress. “When I left Congress, I hurt many feelings, especially of the Gandhi family, as Ghani Khan Choudhury and Sonia Gandhi were very close. But the situation got sorted after I returned. I am personally happy to be back to my roots and family,” she said. . Noor had quit Congress after the state leadership rejected her push for an alliance with Trinamool.Outside the Congress fold, however, her electoral fortunes dipped. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she lost to BJP’s Khagen Murmu, in a break from the electoral dominance long associated with her uncle’s bastion.In Malda town, the Congress campaign is being spearheaded by Malda South MP Isha Khan Choudhury, the next-generation face of the family, who has emerged as the party’s most visible face in the district.“Ghani Khan Choudhury’s legacy inspires us every day and it is that very legacy and the people’s love for our family that keeps Congress so strong in this part of Bengal even today,” the MP told TOI . “We believe in his strategy of standing next to the people of Malda, even if we are not in govt,” he added, sitting next to garlanded photographs of Ghani Khan and Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury (Isha’s father and Ghani’s brother) at the family home in Kotwali.Ghani Khan Choudhury, a Union minister under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, is still remembered in Malda for expanding railway connectivity and driving infrastructure development. His style of politics helped build a durable support base that continues to influence voters.Congress, however, now faces a far more complex political landscape. In the 2021 assembly elections, it failed to win a single seat in Malda, even as TMC secured eight of the district’s 12. BJP, which has made steady inroads since 2019, holds four seats, turning the fight into a triangular contest.TMC has sought to reinterpret the legacy. “We respect Ghani Khan Choudhury, and take inspiration from what he did for Malda,” said Abdur Rahim Boxi, the Trinamool MLA from Malatipur, Noor’s principal rival. Boxi had won the seat in 2021 by a margin of over 91,000 votes.BJP, meanwhile, is campaigning on development, attempting to expand its footprint and capitalise on shifting voter alignments in the district.Within Congress, there is cautious optimism that Noor’s return could help reconnect with voters who had drifted away, particularly in rural pockets. At the same time, the absence of any alliance with TMC, and BJP’s growing presence have made the electoral arithmetic more challenging.With all three major parties staking claim to Malda’s political space, the contest is increasingly being framed between legacy, welfare delivery and development narratives.About the AuthorTamaghna BanerjeeTamaghna Banerjee, a reporter from Kolkata, covers crime, aviation, human rights and politics. He has a keen interest in human interest and rural reporting. He has done his postgraduation in journalism and mass communication. He has a total of 14 years in journalism.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNitish Kumar Was ‘Compromised’, BJP Controlled Him: Rahul Gandhi’s Big Bihar Claim In Tamil NaduPiyush Goyal Slams India-South Korea CEPA, Flags Need To Rewrite ‘Irrational’ Trade DealDelhi High Court Rejects Recusal Plea in Excise Policy Case; Judge Calls It “Catch-22” for HerselfUdhampur Bus Tragedy Kills 21; Political Row Erupts Over I-Pac In Bengal | WatchIndia, Ukraine Security Pact In Works? Zelenskyy Signals Big Move Amid Russia Ukraine WarUnmanned Mine Counter Measure Vessels Take Lead In Demining OperationsIndia-South Korea Mega Deal: PM Modi & Lee Jae Myung Target 50 Billion Trade, Boost TiesFire Erupts At Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery Ahead Of PM Modi’s Launch EventNSA Doval Meets Top Saudi Leaders, Focus On Security And EnergyFact Check: No, Indian Navy Did NOT Detain Somali Pirates In Viral Video123PhotostoriesDid Alia Bhatt just front a Pakistani label in silk suits, or is this another viral fashion mix-up? Here’s what we know6 Psychology hacks that actually work6 types of food you should not store in plastic containers: Food authority’s strict guidelines on plastic materials safe for food productsMay garden checklist, Australia: What to plant for non-stop color and harvest8 condiments you should never keep back in the refrigerator once openedFrom two small spots in her MRI scan to losing 2 kgs in a month and following intermittent fasting, Shoaib Ibrahim and Dipika Kakar talk about her healthThese are the only 5 nations in the world that begin with letter “D” and each tells a unique storyAre you a traveller who loves to buy gold? 5 largest gold-producing countries in the world where gold can be cheaperPriyanka and Rahul Gandhi spotted relishing Gelato: What is Gelato and how is it different from ice cream and other frozen desserts10 Vedic baby girl names that begin with letter V123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingLuka Doncic InjuryCardi BNoah LylesHailee Steinfeld heartbreaking confessionTaylor SwiftMike Vrabel DivorceAndhra Pradesh Murderh-1b VisasTrumpJapan Earthquake Can’t trade macro sovereignty for capital easing: Malhotra ‘MasterChef Australia’: Meghan Markle left ‘very frustrated’ by ‘royalty’ comments on the show Persistent abdominal pain after eating is often dismissed as acidity, but it could be something far more serious | 5.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Kamjong district of Manipur . NEW DELHI: A day before campaigning for the first phase of polls in Bengal winds up, CEC Gyanesh Kumar reviewed polling arrangements in the state. “EC will leave no stone unturned to hold elections that are fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, inducement-free, chhaapa-free, booth jamming-free and source jamming-free,” he said Monday.EC suspends Bhowanipore executive magistratesEC has suspended two employees from the West Bengal government and one from the Centre for ‘dereliction of poll duty’. Souvik Nandy, a teacher; Suranjan Das, UDC, stationery office; and Satyaranjan Paul, LDC, Sports Authority of India, were entrusted to function as Bhowanipore executive magistrates.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNitish Kumar Was ‘Compromised’, BJP Controlled Him: Rahul Gandhi’s Big Bihar Claim In Tamil NaduPiyush Goyal Slams India-South Korea CEPA, Flags Need To Rewrite ‘Irrational’ Trade DealDelhi High Court Rejects Recusal Plea in Excise Policy Case; Judge Calls It “Catch-22” for HerselfUdhampur Bus Tragedy Kills 21; Political Row Erupts Over I-Pac In Bengal | WatchIndia, Ukraine Security Pact In Works? Zelenskyy Signals Big Move Amid Russia Ukraine WarUnmanned Mine Counter Measure Vessels Take Lead In Demining OperationsIndia-South Korea Mega Deal: PM Modi & Lee Jae Myung Target 50 Billion Trade, Boost TiesFire Erupts At Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery Ahead Of PM Modi’s Launch EventNSA Doval Meets Top Saudi Leaders, Focus On Security And EnergyFact Check: No, Indian Navy Did NOT Detain Somali Pirates In Viral Video123PhotostoriesDid Alia Bhatt just front a Pakistani label in silk suits, or is this another viral fashion mix-up? Here’s what we know6 Psychology hacks that actually work6 types of food you should not store in plastic containers: Food authority’s strict guidelines on plastic materials safe for food productsMay garden checklist, Australia: What to plant for non-stop color and harvest8 condiments you should never keep back in the refrigerator once openedFrom two small spots in her MRI scan to losing 2 kgs in a month and following intermittent fasting, Shoaib Ibrahim and Dipika Kakar talk about her health3 signs of a loyal partner, as revealed by Gauranga DasThese are the only 5 nations in the world that begin with letter “D” and each tells a unique storyAre you a traveller who loves to buy gold? 5 largest gold-producing countries in the world where gold can be cheaperPriyanka and Rahul Gandhi spotted relishing Gelato: What is Gelato and how is it different from ice cream and other frozen desserts123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingLuka Doncic InjuryCardi BNoah LylesHailee Steinfeld heartbreaking confessionTaylor SwiftMike Vrabel DivorceAndhra Pradesh Murderh-1b VisasTrumpJapan Earthquake Oil Prices: Oil prices today: Crude falls as upcoming US-Iran talks offsets supply disruption fears ‘Clarkson’s Farm Season 5’ gets a release date: Big changes are coming to Diddly Squat 5 cities in India with high rents where housing comes at a premium price Numerology Predictions Today, April 21, 2026: Read your personalised forecast for numbers 1 to 9 Amazon files lawsuit after losing millions in fake laptop and GPU refunds; tells court: We spent over $75,000 investigating so give us … Iran Us Relations: JD Vance to visit Pakistan on Tuesday for second round of peace talks as ceasefire deadline nears: Report . KOLKATA: “Bulldozer”, “bullets” and “dead miscreants” analogies figured in the speeches of BJP’s central netas who campaigned in poll-bound Bengal over the weekend.Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s “bullets for a bullet” rhetoric was matched by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who referred to perpetrators of violence landing up in jail or dead after BJP forms govt in the state. This coincided with Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath bringing in the “bulldozer” analogy to make his point.Addressing a rally at Naxalbari in north Bengal on Sunday, Sarma said: “If TMC fires a bullet at me, I can fire two towards them before I die. I am not someone who is afraid of anyone.”Singh, campaigning in Birbhum’s Sainthia, said on Monday, “After a BJP govt is formed in the state, everyone will be straightened up. Goons will either get inside their homes, be in jail or dead.”Adityanath, who has followed “bulldozer justice” in UP to smash properties of criminals, gangsters and rioters, echoed the theme in West Midnapore’s Pingla on Monday. “We have used bulldozers to crush the bones of the mafia (in UP),” he said.TMC worker shot atA TMC worker received critical gunshot wounds in his back and leg as unidentified assailants opened fire on him Sunday night when he was returning home after attending a party meeting in South 24 Parganas’ Gosaba. The injured, Dibyendu Gayen, is undergoing treatment. TMC has accused BJP of being behind the attack.About the AuthorRohit KhannaRohit Khanna covers sectors like government finance, economy, industry and issues related to financial crime.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNitish Kumar Was ‘Compromised’, BJP Controlled Him: Rahul Gandhi’s Big Bihar Claim In Tamil NaduPiyush Goyal Slams India-South Korea CEPA, Flags Need To Rewrite ‘Irrational’ Trade DealDelhi High Court Rejects Recusal Plea in Excise Policy Case; Judge Calls It “Catch-22” for HerselfUdhampur Bus Tragedy Kills 21; Political Row Erupts Over I-Pac In Bengal | WatchIndia, Ukraine Security Pact In Works? Zelenskyy Signals Big Move Amid Russia Ukraine WarUnmanned Mine Counter Measure Vessels Take Lead In Demining OperationsIndia-South Korea Mega Deal: PM Modi & Lee Jae Myung Target 50 Billion Trade, Boost TiesFire Erupts At Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery Ahead Of PM Modi’s Launch EventNSA Doval Meets Top Saudi Leaders, Focus On Security And EnergyFact Check: No, Indian Navy Did NOT Detain Somali Pirates In Viral Video123PhotostoriesDid Alia Bhatt just front a Pakistani label in silk suits, or is this another viral fashion mix-up? Here’s what we know6 Psychology hacks that actually work6 types of food you should not store in plastic containers: Food authority’s strict guidelines on plastic materials safe for food productsMay garden checklist, Australia: What to plant for non-stop color and harvest8 condiments you should never keep back in the refrigerator once openedFrom two small spots in her MRI scan to losing 2 kgs in a month and following intermittent fasting, Shoaib Ibrahim and Dipika Kakar talk about her health3 signs of a loyal partner, as revealed by Gauranga DasThese are the only 5 nations in the world that begin with letter “D” and each tells a unique storyAre you a traveller who loves to buy gold? 5 largest gold-producing countries in the world where gold can be cheaperPriyanka and Rahul Gandhi spotted relishing Gelato: What is Gelato and how is it different from ice cream and other frozen desserts123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingLuka Doncic InjuryCardi BNoah LylesHailee Steinfeld heartbreaking confessionTaylor SwiftMike Vrabel DivorceAndhra Pradesh Murderh-1b VisasTrumpJapan Earthquake RBI partially rolls back curbs on rupee derivative trades SAI assistant coach recruitment 2026 closes application window today; apply here Rathna Kumar’s ‘29 The Film’ locks May 8 release; Official announcement video featuring Lokesh Kanagaraj sparks buzz Pahalgam massacre widowed her, but Bengaluru doctor fights on for her 4-year-old son | Bengaluru News ED in overdrive, intensifies action in 19 laundering cases | India News IPL 2026: LSG get much-needed boost as Rs 8.6 crore recruit Josh Inglis set to return | Cricket News ‘Beef Season 2’: From Oscar Isaac to Carey Mulligan, all about the cast and characters Trump’s labour secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer set to quit after turbulent stint It is a piece of cloth, a gesture of respect among Tamil people. But over the years, the melthundu — ‘mel’ meaning upper, ‘thundu’ meaning cloth — has come to mean much more than that. Forbidden at one point for particular communities, later reclaimed as a mark of protest, and now reimagined in party colours, the simple shoulder cloth has become central to the political culture of Tamil Nadu.Netas across parties, from DMK chief M K Stalin to ADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami, have lately been sporting chequered thundus in party colours, a change from the more familiar stripes. But this is not the first time the shoulder cloth has made a political statement.The first major moment of the thundu springing to the centre of politics and identity in Tamil Nadu was in 1924, during a nadaswaram performance that was attended by Periyar E V Ramasamy, pioneer of the Self-Respect Movement. In those days, people from lower castes were prohibited from wearing a shawl or cloth over their shoulders; only people from dominant castes were allowed to do so.At the event, a musician removed the towel from around his waist, wiped his face and placed the cloth on his shoulder. The host of the event, from a dominant caste, objected, saying someone from a “lower caste” should not wear the thundu on the shoulder. After this, Periyar introduced the practice of placing a shawl on people’s shoulders during functions as a symbol of dignity. Periyar’s followers also began wearing the melthundu as a political statement. “Periyar turned the thundu into a symbol of equality. It became a way of saying, ‘You are my fellow human being’,” says Tamil writer Olivannan G.“Since then, Dravidian politicians began to insist that those on stage drape the thundu over the shoulder, as a way of rejecting caste hierarchies,” says advocate V Kannadasan. “It began as a social equaliser and evolved into a way for leaders to create their political image.”That evolution was visible in the styles adopted by different politicians. DMK founder C N Annadurai always wore a long white shawl. Former DMK chief M Karunanidhi first wore a white one, then switched to yellow. MDMK founder Vaiko became known for his black thundu, worn as a mark of protest over issues linked to the Tamil Eelam (during the Sri Lankan Civil War).“Clothing is considered to be one of the major tools that Dravidian parties have used in politics. Veshti-shirt and melthundu are worn as traditional Tamil male attire,” says political anthropologist Nisar Kannangara. “That’s why PM Modi always wears one when campaigning in Tamil Nadu. He wore it during his 2019 meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the state to appeal to Tamil sentiments.”In the 1970s, the thundu was used as a cinematic device. Actor and ADMK founder M G Ramachandran, who rarely wore the shoulder cloth himself and instead cultivated a trademark image with dark glasses and a fur hat, used the thundu in films such as ‘Idhayakkani’, supposedly to caricature Karunanidhi, his DMK rival. The films featured characters wearing long shawls and delivering verbose dialogue, says political science professor Subramaniam Chandran in a paper published in 2023.However, fashion designer Purushu Arie, who traces the evolution of political attire, says, “Distinctions are now emerging. Sometimes, within parties, simpler cotton towels are meant for cadres, while silk shawls are reserved for seniors. Ironically, the cloth meant to erase hierarchy seems to be recreating it.”In recent years, most party members in the state stopped wearing the thundu regularly. But in the run-up to the 2026 polls, the melthundu has made a comeback. This time, it is less about symbolism and more about branding and standing out in the crowd.“We wanted to try a new design,” says a DMK source, referring to the black-and-red checked thundu that has made its debut. “The strategy team first used the chequered thundu in a party engagement programme with hamlet secretaries. It caught on and, this time, most workers and seniors decided to wear it instead of the usual striped one.”Chequered historyWhite to yellowIn 1989, on his return to office, M Karunanidhi was presented with a yellow shawl by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss, denoting the Vanniyar flag to honour his 20% reservation policy for the community. He wore this yellow shawl for decades as part of his trademark style, along with his dark glasses. He later gave various explanations for it, including comparison to Buddha’s yellow angavastram.In Karnataka, ‘political fixer’s’ uniformIn a 2000 article in Asian Survey, political scientist James Manor says the phrase “towel over armpit” was used to describe small-time political fixers in Karnataka — intermediaries who moved between villages and govt offices, wielding “informal power”. Though often parodied, Manor says they play an important role in elections in most southern states.When Prabhakaran refused the thunduIn a 2011 article in the journal Sanglap, Swarnavel Eswaran Pillai, professor at Michigan State University, says there was pressure from the West on LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to abandon his guerrilla fatigues for a modern “coat-suit attire” or the “traditional white veshti– thundu” so he could present a more “acceptable” political image. Prabhakaran refused.MGR shawl controversyIn 2020, a statue of MGR in Puducherry was found draped in a saffron shawl, triggering political protests. While leaders condemned the act as an attempt to “saffronise” the Dravidian icon, CCTV footage later revealed that a woman had placed it as a gesture of respect, unaware of the political implications.About the AuthorKamini MathaiKamini Mathai is a Chennai-based journalist with The Times of India and author of ‘AR Rahman: The Musical Storm’, a biography of the award-winning composer, published by Penguin. As Coordinating Editor at The Times of India, she curates and leads the news features pages; stories that capture the changing face of Tamil Nadu. With more than 25 years of experience, her writing spans a wide canvas — from mental health, health, and education to arts, lifestyle, cinema, tourism, society in transition, environment, heritage and sports. Her interest in mental health has led her to formally pursue psychology, bringing academic insight into her reportage.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNitish Kumar Was ‘Compromised’, BJP Controlled Him: Rahul Gandhi’s Big Bihar Claim In Tamil NaduPiyush Goyal Slams India-South Korea CEPA, Flags Need To Rewrite ‘Irrational’ Trade DealDelhi High Court Rejects Recusal Plea in Excise Policy Case; Judge Calls It “Catch-22” for HerselfUdhampur Bus Tragedy Kills 21; Political Row Erupts Over I-Pac In Bengal | WatchIndia, Ukraine Security Pact In Works? Zelenskyy Signals Big Move Amid Russia Ukraine WarUnmanned Mine Counter Measure Vessels Take Lead In Demining OperationsIndia-South Korea Mega Deal: PM Modi & Lee Jae Myung Target 50 Billion Trade, Boost TiesFire Erupts At Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery Ahead Of PM Modi’s Launch EventNSA Doval Meets Top Saudi Leaders, Focus On Security And EnergyFact Check: No, Indian Navy Did NOT Detain Somali Pirates In Viral Video123PhotostoriesDid Alia Bhatt just front a Pakistani label in silk suits, or is this another viral fashion mix-up? Here’s what we know6 Psychology hacks that actually work6 types of food you should not store in plastic containers: Food authority’s strict guidelines on plastic materials safe for food productsMay garden checklist, Australia: What to plant for non-stop color and harvest8 condiments you should never keep back in the refrigerator once openedFrom two small spots in her MRI scan to losing 2 kgs in a month and following intermittent fasting, Shoaib Ibrahim and Dipika Kakar talk about her healthThese are the only 5 nations in the world that begin with letter “D” and each tells a unique storyAre you a traveller who loves to buy gold? 5 largest gold-producing countries in the world where gold can be cheaperPriyanka and Rahul Gandhi spotted relishing Gelato: What is Gelato and how is it different from ice cream and other frozen desserts10 Vedic baby girl names that begin with letter V123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingLuka Doncic InjuryCardi BNoah LylesHailee Steinfeld heartbreaking confessionTaylor SwiftMike Vrabel DivorceAndhra Pradesh Murderh-1b VisasTrumpJapan Earthquake Kunal Kohli praises Rakesh Bedi in ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’; Says, ‘It’s sad that for so many years he didn’t get his due’ | Hindi Movie News IPL betting racket busted in Punjab: Rs 42.3 lakh frozen, four arrested | Cricket News India may rest top stars for Afghanistan Test, final call with management | Exclusive ‘Dhurandhar 2’ box office collection day 33: Ranveer Singh’s film mints below Rs 2 cr on Monday amid Akshay Kumar’s ‘Bhooth Bangla’ release Tim Cook to step down as Apple CEO, John Ternus to take over in September “She’s for the streets”: Laura Loomer’s latest attack pulls Candace Owens’ family into escalating political feud . CHENNAI: “There appear to be some irregularities, as about Rs 100 crore was not disclosed in the poll affidavit,” Madras HC said on Monday while directing actor-TVK founder Vijay, I-T department and EC to respond to a plea alleging discrepancies.Vijay had allegedly declared assets of Rs 115.13 crore in his affidavit filed in the Perambur constituency and Rs 220.15 crore in the Trichy (East) constituency.Admitting the plea filed by V Vignesh, a voter from Perambur, court adjourned the hearing by a week for the authorities and Vijay to file their response.Vignesh said the plea is instituted in exceptional circumstances, wherein the disclosures made by Vijay in his statutory affidavits under Form 26, as mandated under Rule 4A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, are not only incomplete but are prima facie false, inconsistent with statutory records and indicative of a deliberate and systematic suppression of material financial information.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNitish Kumar Was ‘Compromised’, BJP Controlled Him: Rahul Gandhi’s Big Bihar Claim In Tamil NaduPiyush Goyal Slams India-South Korea CEPA, Flags Need To Rewrite ‘Irrational’ Trade DealDelhi High Court Rejects Recusal Plea in Excise Policy Case; Judge Calls It “Catch-22” for HerselfUdhampur Bus Tragedy Kills 21; Political Row Erupts Over I-Pac In Bengal | WatchIndia, Ukraine Security Pact In Works? Zelenskyy Signals Big Move Amid Russia Ukraine WarUnmanned Mine Counter Measure Vessels Take Lead In Demining OperationsIndia-South Korea Mega Deal: PM Modi & Lee Jae Myung Target 50 Billion Trade, Boost TiesFire Erupts At Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery Ahead Of PM Modi’s Launch EventNSA Doval Meets Top Saudi Leaders, Focus On Security And EnergyFact Check: No, Indian Navy Did NOT Detain Somali Pirates In Viral Video123PhotostoriesDid Alia Bhatt just front a Pakistani label in silk suits, or is this another viral fashion mix-up? Here’s what we know6 Psychology hacks that actually work6 types of food you should not store in plastic containers: Food authority’s strict guidelines on plastic materials safe for food productsMay garden checklist, Australia: What to plant for non-stop color and harvest8 condiments you should never keep back in the refrigerator once openedFrom two small spots in her MRI scan to losing 2 kgs in a month and following intermittent fasting, Shoaib Ibrahim and Dipika Kakar talk about her healthThese are the only 5 nations in the world that begin with letter “D” and each tells a unique storyAre you a traveller who loves to buy gold? 5 largest gold-producing countries in the world where gold can be cheaperPriyanka and Rahul Gandhi spotted relishing Gelato: What is Gelato and how is it different from ice cream and other frozen desserts10 Vedic baby girl names that begin with letter V123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingLuka Doncic InjuryCardi BNoah LylesHailee Steinfeld heartbreaking confessionTaylor SwiftMike Vrabel DivorceAndhra Pradesh Murderh-1b VisasTrumpJapan Earthquake Keira Knightley’s husband, James Righton, sparks divorce rumours after being spotted without his wedding ring ‘Dacoit A Love Story’ OTT release: Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur film expected to stream on THIS platform – Reports | Telugu Movie News Pisces Horoscope Today, April 21, 2026: Drive carefully to avoid fear of accident TCS Nashik case: Maharashtra court denies woman staffer interim protection against arrest Disturbing video surfaces as Klaudia Zakrzewska hit by Gabrielle Carrington Mercedes after clash outside London nightclub 9.5 out of 15 days: Bengal faces longest dry spell before polls | India News Who controls Canada cricket? Lawrence Bishnoi gang calling shots through threats and influence | Cricket News ‘Bhooth Bangla’ box office collection day 4: Akshay Kumar’s film crosses Rs 100 crore mark worldwide Cash is the king: Mob snatches 13.4 lakh seized from MP’s office Representative image COIMBATORE: A protest in Tamil Nadu left behind an awkward truth for the election season – outrage, this time, was not over bribery itself but over who didn’t get it. Anger over being left out of the alleged cash-for-votes payout spilt onto a key road in Kottur, a rural pocket about 40km south of Coimbatore and roughly 500km southwest of Chennai, as residents blocked traffic towards nearby Pollachi on Monday.Protesters said that households in nearby areas had received money from a political party before polling on April 23, while their locality was skipped. They demanded “equal treatment, turning a routine election malpractice into a public standoff”.Local police warned that both demanding and accepting money for votes is a criminal offence and told the crowd that cases could follow for unlawful assembly and blocking a public road. Protesters dispersed soon after.District officials said complaints about cash distribution had surfaced, but this appeared to be the first protest driven by exclusion from such handouts. Flying squads and static surveillance teams have been asked to intensify patrolling in the Kottur area to trace the source of the alleged cash distribution.A social activist said that the episode underscored how entrenched the practice has become. “People now see cash for votes as an entitlement,” he said. TNNEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNitish Kumar Was ‘Compromised’, BJP Controlled Him: Rahul Gandhi’s Big Bihar Claim In Tamil NaduPiyush Goyal Slams India-South Korea CEPA, Flags Need To Rewrite ‘Irrational’ Trade DealDelhi High Court Rejects Recusal Plea in Excise Policy Case; Judge Calls It “Catch-22” for HerselfUdhampur Bus Tragedy Kills 21; Political Row Erupts Over I-Pac In Bengal | WatchIndia, Ukraine Security Pact In Works? Zelenskyy Signals Big Move Amid Russia Ukraine WarUnmanned Mine Counter Measure Vessels Take Lead In Demining OperationsIndia-South Korea Mega Deal: PM Modi & Lee Jae Myung Target 50 Billion Trade, Boost TiesFire Erupts At Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery Ahead Of PM Modi’s Launch EventNSA Doval Meets Top Saudi Leaders, Focus On Security And EnergyFact Check: No, Indian Navy Did NOT Detain Somali Pirates In Viral Video123PhotostoriesDid Alia Bhatt just front a Pakistani label in silk suits, or is this another viral fashion mix-up? Here’s what we know6 Psychology hacks that actually work6 types of food you should not store in plastic containers: Food authority’s strict guidelines on plastic materials safe for food productsMay garden checklist, Australia: What to plant for non-stop color and harvest8 condiments you should never keep back in the refrigerator once openedFrom two small spots in her MRI scan to losing 2 kgs in a month and following intermittent fasting, Shoaib Ibrahim and Dipika Kakar talk about her healthThese are the only 5 nations in the world that begin with letter “D” and each tells a unique storyAre you a traveller who loves to buy gold? 5 largest gold-producing countries in the world where gold can be cheaperPriyanka and Rahul Gandhi spotted relishing Gelato: What is Gelato and how is it different from ice cream and other frozen desserts10 Vedic baby girl names that begin with letter V123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingBan vs NZCardi BNoah LylesHailee Steinfeld heartbreaking confessionTaylor SwiftMike Vrabel DivorceAndhra Pradesh Murderh-1b VisasTrumpJapan Earthquake IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breaks down in tears after RR loss, gets consoled by KKR coach ‘LIK’ box office collections day 12: Pradeep Ranganathan’s film scores overseas boost; Crosses Rs 11 crore Aquarius Horoscope Today, April 21, 2026: Property matters look favourable Noida protests: Workers’ outfit members from Delhi, Lucknow arrested; lawyer says due process not followed Capricorn Horoscope Today, April 21, 2026: Businesspeople can take a major business decision today ‘Can’t recuse to satisfy unfounded suspicion,’ says Delhi high court judge in Arvind Kejriwal case NFL Trade Rumor: New York Giants eye big defensive move for former Detroit Lions $25M star after losing Dexter Lawrence | NFL News