Tamil Nadu bus strike day 3: Transport Minister appeals to employees to return to work

Tamil Nadu bus strike day 3: Transport Minister appeals to employees to return to work

The buses stand still at Koyambedu Mofussil Bus terminus following the flash strike by the Transport Employees. (Express Photo | P Jawahar) CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar on Saturday appealed to striking bus employees to return to work. “I appeal to employees to come back for duty, honorable court has also asked them to come back,” Vijayabhaskar said addressing media here on the third day of the strike. He added that compared to yesterday more staff has reported to work on Saturday. “As compared to yesterday, more staff has reported for work today, we are also employing private drivers, situation will improve soon,” Vijayabhaskar further said. Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president MK Stalin spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy over the telephone and expressed concern over the ongoing transport strike, urging the government to expedite talks with the unions. Scores of commuters were left stranded in Koyambedu bus terminal of Chennai as an indefinite strike by the transport workers' unions in Tamil Nadu continued for the third day. Drivers and conductors of various state transport corporations are demanding wage hike among other things. A large number of people were seen queued up waiting for the private buses at the different bus stops. The strike, following the failure of talks on wage revision and clearance of pending dues with Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar, was declared on Thursday. Transport workers have been demanding for a pay revision to Rs 30,000. However, the authorities have only agreed to pay Rs. 24,400.


TN Weather Update: New low-pressure area formed 

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has reportedly said that a low-pressure area has formed near southern Andaman and south-eastern part of Bay of Bengal, which is likely to cause rainfall in coastal districts of Tamil Nadu from January, 9. Further, no rain was recorded in Tamil Nadu on Saturday and dry conditions will reportedly continue to prevail on Sunday.


Tamil film star Rajinikanth to enter politics in India's 'Detroit' 

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A big star of India’s Tamil-language movies, Rajinikanth, said on Sunday he is launching a political party, adding drama to a heated political scene in a state with a history of film stars becoming chief ministers. Tamil Nadu, which accounts for the bulk of India’s automobile exports, has been in political limbo since the death of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Jayalalithaa was a popular actress before joining politics. Rajinikanth, called the “superstar” by his fans, enters the political scene at a time Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party is looking to make inroads into the southern state that’s been ruled by two south Indian parties for decades. Over the past five decades, Tamil Nadu has chosen between the two Dravidian parties, both of which claim anti-caste social justice and secularism as their core ideology. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not win a seat in Tamil Nadu’s 2016 elections. The next state election is due in 2021. A picture of actor Rajinikanth is shown by a supporter as they celebrate the launch of his political party in Chennai, India, December 31, 2017. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar “I’ll push for spiritual politics without caste or religious leanings,” Rajinikanth said. “If I come to power and am not able to deliver in three years, I’ll resign. Democracy is in a state of distress in the state.” In Tamil cinema, Rajinikanth often plays larger-than-life characters that project him as a savior of the masses. The actor, who has been in a few Hindi movies, has created a frenzy among fans ahead of every release. FILE PHOTO - Fans of south Indian film star Rajinikanth pour milk as an offering over his cut-out on the release date of his new movie "Endhiran" (Robot) in the southern Indian city of Chennai, India, October 1, 2010. REUTERS/Babu/File Photo But opponents say politics would be different. Subramanian Swamy, a BJP leader, dismissed Rajinikanth’s plunge into politics as “media hype”. Tamil Nadu, a state of more than 70 million people, is sometimes called the “Detroit of Asia”. It is home to factories of companies including BMW, Daimler, Hyundai, Ford, Nissan and Renault. Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Richard Borsuk