Powertrip: Buzz about Sun’s ‘Hindi news channel’, TN Congress rift, and Owaisi’s U-turn

The rumours about the Sun Group launching English and Hindi news channels are refusing to die down. The News Minute spoke to senior officials at the group to bring you authentic information.

Speaking of Tamil Nadu, there is a disagreement between some state Congress leaders and the central leadership. But why?

In Telangana, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi has changed his tune and warmed up to his previous rival, the Congress. The reason only goes to show what an astute politician Owaisi is.

This is Powertrip, exclusively curated for Newslaundry and The News Minute subscribers by Dhanya Rajendran, Shabbir Ahmed, and Pooja Prasanna.

. Inside Track Exclusive stories, for your eyes only Is Sun Group starting English and Hindi news channels?

For weeks now, a strong rumour has been doing the rounds among those in the media that the Sun Group of companies, which runs a Tamil news channel, will also set up English and Hindi news channels. Initially, most sources working in the TV channel denied it. But the rumours popped up again, and this time it became more specific – that a prominent journalist was going to be appointed as the editor. But these reports were also denied.

When TNM reached out to a few folks in the top management at the Sun Group, they said there were no such plans currently, because it does not make business sense.

One source reminded us that Sun used to run news channels in Telugu and Kannada but had to shut them down in a few years because they were not profitable. He added that running a news channel does not add anything to the bottom line of the company. His contention is that running a news channel in Tamil Nadu makes good business sense because the group already has a newspaper, Dinakaran, so the news collection is broad-based. In addition, Sun is a recognisable name in TN by virtue of which it has a loyal viewership, which is not the case in other states.

While mentioning that the group has started a GEC (general entertainment content) channel in Hindi called Sun Neo , the source reiterated that they have no plans to foray into English or Hindi news channels. If things change, we will keep you posted.

Congress high command concerned over rift in Tamil Nadu

The Congress high command is unhappy with several leaders in Tamil Nadu who have been critical of the DMK and are advocating for a Congress resurgence in the state.

The issue began with speeches by state Congress president K Selvaperunthagai, who urged workers to restore the party’s former glory in Tamil Nadu, a state where it lost power in 1967 and has not regained it since. Other state Congress leaders have also criticised the DMK recently, particularly regarding the hooch deaths in Kallakurichi and the extrajudicial killing of a suspect in the murder of BSP leader Armstrong. Sources indicate that the DMK has expressed its dissatisfaction to the Congress. In response, Organising Secretary KC Venugopal has asked Ajoy Kumar to prepare a report.

We have been informed that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge spoke with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and assured him that the Congress remains firmly aligned with the DMK. This situation highlights a division between the Congress central leadership and a section of state leaders.

While the Congress has played a secondary role in the DMK alliance for decades, many state leaders believe it is time to reclaim some control. They are considering various options, including alliances with the AIADMK or actor Vijay’s party. However, the central leadership is keen to maintain the current alliance, as DMK is their most important ally. Stalin has a strong relationship with Rahul Gandhi and has consistently supported him even when other allies have wavered.

Owaisi’s sudden support for Congress

Asaduddin Owaisi has long been a vocal critic of the Congress party. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he famously questioned Rahul Gandhi, saying, “He’s 50 years old and says he’s ‘killed the cold’. Does anyone speak like this at 50? You don’t feel the cold? What are you, a djinn?” For years, Owaisi was close to KCR and his party, rejecting the Congress.

However, in recent months, there has been a noticeable shift. Owaisi began by urging minorities to vote for the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections in seats where his AIMIM was not contesting. After Revanth Reddy came to power, the relationship between the Congress and AIMIM visibly improved. While Owaisi had slammed Revanth during the assembly elections calling him an RSS stooge, after the elections the two have warmed up to each other.

Not surprisingly, Owaisi has become quite critical of KCR’s BRS party, his unofficial ally for years. He questioned whether the BRS planned to merge with the BJP and accused the BRS of intentionally transferring its votes to the BJP.

People across the political spectrum in Telangana are not surprised by this shift. Many recall that during the regimes of Kiran Kumar Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu, Owaisi attempted to remain neutral and was targeted by both governments. Moreover, it is crucial for the AIMIM to have the support of the police department to maintain stability in the Old Hyderabad area. Ensuring police support often requires extending an olive branch to the government in power.

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This report was republished from The News Minute as part of The News Minute-Newslaundry alliance. It has been lightly edited for style and clarity. Read about our partnership here and become a TNM subscriber here .

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Powertrip: Buzz about Sun’s ‘Hindi news channel’, TN Congress rift, and Owaisi’s U-turn

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