ADMK assigns launching spree of top projects to Shah

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government led by the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) has moved to pacify its partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by assigning the launching of several top projects to union Home Minister Amit Shah, who will arrive in Chennai on Saturday.

The warming to BJP comes ater the ADMK government led by Edappadi Palaniswamy firmly blocked a ‘Vel Yatra’ or procession with what it claims is a holy spear, which was scheduled to end on December 6 on the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

While the ADMK said the march could not be allowed as it would cause communal tensions, the BJP is angry that its Hindutwa agenda has been hindered.

The two parties were allies in the Lok Sabha election and are expected to keep the ties in the crucial state assembly polls that are due by April/may next year.

The alliance won just a single seat out of 39 in the Lok Sabha election.

Amit Shah will atend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Phase II project of Chennai Metro Rail during his visit, official sources said on Wednesday. The project is set at Rs 61.843 billion.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami would preside over the function.

Southern parts and coastal regions of Tamil Nadu are expected to get heavy rain in the next 24 hours, while Chennai and northern parts are likely to receive light to moderate downpour, officials said on Wednesday morning.

The Met office in Chennai said trough in easterlies from Comorin area to north coastal Tamil Nadu, which triggered heavy rain in Chennai and its neighbourhood, has moved westwards and merged with the trough in easterlies to southeast Arabian sea, thereby shiting the action to south and western regions.

Separately on Wednesday, counselling for admissions to medical courses took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

The first batch was students who got seats under the 7.5 per cent state quota for government schools. Sources said that 150 students took part in the first phase of the counselling.

School Education Minister KA Sengotaiyan, meanwhile, said that a final call will be taken in December about the 10th and 12th board examination.

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court had suggested on Nov.11 that the government reopen schools and colleges ater December.

The state government had earlier permited educational institutions to resume functioning from Nov.16.

However, there was big opposition to the move as the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over.

The court agreed with a petitioner who brought up that argument.