Welcome to this week’s Powertrip, a political newsletter exclusively curated for TNM and NL subscribers by Dhanya Rajendran, Shabbir Ahmed, and Pooja Prasanna. In this Tamil Nadu special, we found out the details behind DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran’s astonishing legal notice to his brother Kalanithi Maran alleging a massive corporate fraud. Top AIADMK leader SP Velumani stoked a row by attending a Hindu spiritual event where he honoured RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, which was followed by his brother being inducted into a Sengol committee formed under the supervision of the RSS. Also read about the behind the scenes drama that happened at the Murugan Devotees Conference in Madurai, where senior Sangh Parivar leaders were irked by the prominence given to K Annamalai.
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What prompted Maran vs Maran
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran’s legal notice to his brother and media baron Kalanithi Maran came as a surprise to both the media and the public. However, insiders say the differences have been simmering for years, and Dayanidhi decided to send a second notice after realising his brother was unwilling to settle.
The notice alleges a massive corporate fraud. It claims that Kalanithi, while their father was critically ill, illegally took control of Sun TV Network by fraudulently allotting himself 60% of the shares at a throwaway price, thereby cheating the family and the original promoters. It demands the restoration of original shareholdings and the return of over Rs 5,900 crore in benefits allegedly derived through illegal means.
The first notice was sent in October 2024. Insiders say Dayanidhi initially believed his brother would compensate him, but instead Kalanithi paid Rs 500 crore to their sister Anbukarasi. Dayanidhi, who was involved in setting up and shaping the early years of Sun Network, expected a larger share, but Kalanithi refused to concede.
A DMK source said Dayanidhi had asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin, their cousin, to intervene. Although the CM spoke to both brothers a few months ago, he did not take on the role of mediator and left it to the Marans to resolve the dispute on their own.
Meanwhile, enforcement agencies are closely watching. An ED source told us they would step in if the Income Tax Department initiates a probe.
SP Velumani’s brother in RSS committee
The AIADMK’s presence at an event organised by Hindu Munnani has resulted in massive embarrassment for the party. This primarily due to an audio-video presentation screened at the conference that mocked Dravidian icons like Periyar and Annadurai, calling them jackals.
While the AIADMK leadership was trying to wriggle out of the situation, SP Velumani, another top leader of the party and strongman from Coimbatore district, stoked another row by attending the centenary celebrations of Saiva spiritual leader Perur Aadheenam Seervalarseer Shanthalinga Ramasamy Adigalar and the RSS. And now, his brother has been inducted into a committee formed by the RSS.
The Perur Aadheenam event was attended by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Velumani and his brother Anbarasan presented Bhagwat with a silver vel (spear) and an idol of Lord Murugan — adding fuel to the already raging controversy.
Velumani was quick to do some damage control, saying that he was not aware that the RSS chief would be attending the event and that he had participated on the invitation of the Perur Aadheenam.
But the story does not end there — Velumani’s brother Anbarasan has been inducted into a committee named the ‘Sengol Governance Awareness Committee’ created under the supervision of RSS, which includes leaders from the RSS and of BJP background. Anbarasan, a businessman, is the odd man out here.
The coordinator of the committee is former ABVP leader Rahul Raja while other members include Nainar Nagenthiran’s close confidants Neelmurali Yadav, Gopalsamy (ex-AIADMK MLA who is now in the BJP), the Maharashtra Governor’s son Hari Radhakrishnan, Nainar Nagendran’s son Sri Nainar Balaji, and BJP functionaries like Vasantharajan and Selvadurai.
The committee has been tasked with coordination with civil society organisations that are working in the areas of education, environment, culture, youth, and students. Its members will also hold events and organise awareness campaigns throughout the state regarding the achievements of Modi’s ‘Sengol’ government.
The question doing rounds in the AIADMK is – is Anbarasan representing Velumani or AIADMK in the committee?
Annamalai taking centre stage at Murugan conference upsets seniors
The Murugan Devotees Conference, organised recently by the Hindu Munnani with the backing of the RSS, BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal, and other Sangh Parivar organisations in Madurai, is being touted as a major success in the right-wing ecosystem.
But what has not gone down well with senior party leaders and across the Sangh Parivar was the platforming of former BJP state president Annamalai at this crucial event, while sidelining all other senior leaders.
BJP sources told TNM that the initial line-up of speakers at the conference did not include the name of the current BJP state president, Nainar Nagenthiran, who also hails from the southern district of Tirunelveli. The reason cited was that it was a ‘spiritual conference’ and allowing political leaders to speak would alter the tone of the event.
Infuriated by the treatment meted out to the state president, his camp conveyed to the BJP top brass that if Nagenthiran was not allowed to speak, they would stage a walkout causing huge embarrassment for the organisers.
Nagenthiran also pointed out to the BJP’s organising secretary Kesavanayagam that the entire BJP machinery was involved in mobilising people and that a majority of the crowd had been brought in by BJP functionaries.
After much drama, Nagenthiran’s name was included in the list of speakers. However, it did not go unnoticed that the Hindu Munnani organisers favoured Annamalai taking centre stage alone with Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
TN IAS transfers raises eyebrows
The recent shuffling of 55 IAS officers in Tamil Nadu has raised eyebrows in the corridors of power, as officers who held powerful positions during the previous AIADMK regime have been given prominent posts.
Officers like Vijayakumar IAS, who was secretary to former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami; Prakash IAS, considered close to former Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani; and Shankar IAS, who has now been appointed Secretary, Higher Education Department, were previously in low-key positions and have made a dramatic comeback.
When the DMK government took over, Prakash IAS was one of the first officers to be transferred out of Chennai Corporation because of a series of allegations against him in awarding tenders to selected companies linked to SP Velumani. He is now back as Member Secretary in the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.
Officers who were posted in departments like Tourism and Higher Education just eight months ago have also been transferred to different posts, raising questions.
Sources told TNM that most of the transfers to key positions were made based on ‘special requests’ by concerned ministers and department officials.
The file related to the transfers and postings of IAS officers had been in circulation for over a month, and multiple corrections were made before the transfers and postings were officially announced on June 23.
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