The stage is set for the protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, which is scheduled to begin shortly near Egmore in Chennai. The INDIA bloc, which has been organising such protests in Delhi so far, has now decided to take them to other states.
Chennai assumes considerable political importance as, for the first time, the TVK has decided to participate in the street protest alleging vote chori, just days after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay.
The TVK has been under attack from the DMK, which alleges that Vijay came to power because of vote chori. With the TVK deciding to join the protest today, the DMK has argued that this amounts to an admission that Vijay came to power through vote chori.
The DMK has also accused the Congress of hypocrisy, arguing that Rahul Gandhi, who has been demanding a rollback of the SIR process, has remained silent on alleged vote chori in Tamil Nadu for the sake of securing two ministerial posts.
However, as far as the TVK is concerned, it perhaps wants to establish a presence in national politics and sees the INDIA bloc as a potential platform. This may explain its decision to join the protest. So far, the TVK has neither taken a clear stand on vote chori nor demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.
Congress and the TVK share a political interest in working together in Tamil Nadu. Their cooperation became more formal after TVK representatives attended an INDIA bloc meeting on October 3.
The rally serves an immediate purpose—protesting against the SIR—but also reflects the political realignment taking place in Tamil Nadu. The TVK's participation should therefore be viewed in the context of its relationship with Congress and the changing dynamics between the Congress and the DMK, rather than merely as participation in a protest.
A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.
