In Tamil Nadu, Ramadoss and son patchup; AIADMK draws a line with BJP

According to two senior PMK sources and a confidant close to the family, a complaint filed on behalf of Ramadoss about the discovery of a sophisticated audio-tapping device at his house, and the hint that the son’s side may be implicated in it, had prompted a flurry of damage-control efforts by the family. G Viswanathan, who runs the VIT Group of Institutions and is a long-time friend of the family, is reportedly the chief mediator.

A complaint filed with police’s Cyber Crime Wing by PMK Headquarters secretary M Anbalagan, seen by The Indian Express, says that “an apparatus (bug)” was found at the official residence of Ramadoss by his staff on the evening of July 9, “in the usual sitting chair (sofa)”, while they were cleaning the furniture.

This added an urgency to the mediation efforts between the father and son, and as per sources, a breakthrough is near. A top source in the family said it was Anbumani’s father-in-law Krishnaswamy, who is also a friend of Viswanathan, who had urged the VIT Group owner to intervene. Senior Ramadoss and Viswanathan are believed to have met last week on Saturday.

The top PMK source said: “The conversation between Viswanathan and Ayya (Ramadoss) was candid. The focus now is not on ego or succession, but on protecting the family and the party from irreparable damage.”

Meanwhile, amid renewed speculation over the terms of the BJP and AIADMK alliance in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) issued his most direct clarification yet on Wednesday: “There will be no power sharing. EPS will be the Chief Minister. The AIADMK will form the government. Period.”

Speaking at Chidambaram, EPS dismissed questions over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks that there would be a “coalition government” in the state if the NDA won the 2026 Assembly elections. “You got it wrong,” EPS told reporters.

“It is not going to be an alliance government, but the alliance will form the government. Who is leading this alliance? The AIADMK. Then who will decide about power sharing? We will take the decision.”

Behind this public assertiveness, lies a nuanced understanding between the AIADMK and BJP high command – that it is politically harmful for the AIADMK to publicly endorse the idea of a coalition government before the elections, for fear of a backlash from its core Dravidian voter base. In private, sources said, EPS has conveyed to Shah that a power-sharing arrangement could be considered in the case of a win, if “at a minimal level”.

Plot thickens in Karnataka

Randeep Singh Surjewala, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka, continued to hold meetings with several ministers on Wednesday, sparking the CM question yet again.

These meetings are said to be aimed at understanding their grievances, assessing their performance, and addressing the complaints shared by the party MLAs against the ministers

Earlier, the AICC General Secretary had held two rounds of one-on-one meetings with party legislators in the state.

Protests intensify in Odisha

Demanding the resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over the death of a female college student in Balasore district, Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba on Wednesday said President’s Rule must be imposed in the state.

The second-year B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on Monday night. She had set herself on fire on the college campus on July 12 over inaction against a professor who allegedly sexually harassed her. Lamba alleged that the student died due to the failure of the system in Odisha.

The Congress also gave a call for a bandh on Thursday. Eight political outfits such as the CPI, CPI(ML), RJD, SP, All India Forward Bloc, and NCP have extended their support for the bandh so far.

— WITH PTI inputs