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QChennai: Rajini Won’t Contest 2019 Polls; IAS Officers ReshuffledBy TheQuint

1. Rajinikanth and His Party Won’t Contest 2019 Lok Sabha Elections

Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth, in a statement on Sunday, 17 February, said neither he nor his party Rajini Makkal Mandram would be contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He also said his photo or the symbol of his party should strictly not be used for any propaganda.

Pointing out that the biggest problem in Tamil Nadu is water scarcity, the superstar urged people to vote for the party which promises the best policies to resolve the water crisis in the state. At the same time, he stated that he will not be extending his support to any party.

Read the full story here.

Also Read: Petta is the best Rajinikanth film in years

2. Beela Rajesh is The New Health Secretary

As part of a major reshuffle of IAS officers, the state government transferred Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan as Transport Secretary. Radhakrishnan has been health secretary for the past seven years, and was in the news recently after some adverse comments by the Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, looking into the death of Jayalalithaa. Beela Rajesh, who is currently commissioner, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, has been posted as health secretary.

Chennai Corporation Commissioners D Karthikeyan has been replaced with G Prakash, who is currently Commissioner, Municipal Administration. Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Vijayakarthikeyan has been posted as Director, TN Institute of Urban Studies in Coimbatore.

(Source: The Hindu)

3. Apollo Charges False, Jaya Probe Panel Tells HC

The allegations of bias and mala fide levelled by the Apollo Hospitals against Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry are false, frivolous and untenable, and they cannot be levelled against the fact-finding body since it had been constituted for the specific purpose of inquiring into the circumstances leading to the hospitalisation of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on 22 September 2016 and subsequent treatment provided till her death on 5 December 2016, the Commission submitted in its counter-affidavit filed in the Madras High Court on Friday, 15 February.

The counter was filed in response to the writ petitions from the hospital, levelling various allegations against it. In his counter, the Commission’s standing counsel R Vijayakumar submitted that the petition (by the hospital) was filed with an intention to thwart the proceedings.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

Also Read: Apollo Wants Medical Proceedings Stayed in Jaya’s Death Probe

4. AIADMK, BJP Speed up Alliance Process; Amit Shah’s Visit on February 22

Ruling AIADMK and BJP which have officially completed the first round of talks a few days ago, are expediting the process to finalise the alliance as BJP national President Amit Shah is visiting Madurai and Ramanathapuram on 22 February. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to visit Kanniyakumari on 1 March. Both leaders already visited the state last week.

However, party sources said the top brass of both parties want to complete the number of seats and identification of constituencies for each party in the alliance in one go and there lies the hitch.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

Also Read: BJP Needs Much More Than AIADMK to Make Any Impact in TN

5. Mother-Son Duo Held for Chain Snatching

Peravallur Police has arrested a woman and her son for snatching the gold chain of a 48-year-old woman on Saturday, 16 February. The duo was later produced before a judicial magistrate and sent to prison.

The victim, R Rupa, a resident of Kolathur, was taking a morning walk in SRP Colony on January 23, when two persons on a two-wheeler snatched her gold chain weighing more than 5 sovereigns, and escaped. Based on a complaint filed by the victim, the Peravallur police inspected CCTV footage.

(Source: The Hindu)