Exclusive: Putin Hails 'Friend' Modi's Leadership, Recalls SCO Car Ride in First Interview to Indian Network

Two separate cases in Karnataka have linked deaths to the misuse of the anaesthetic drug Propofol.

On this news bulletin, political analyst Shekhar Iyer critiques the long-term impact of Dravidian parties on Tamil Nadu's growth. He asserts, 'The Dravidian parties have presided over the stagnation of the state,' arguing that the state would have reached greater heights had the BJP been given an earlier opportunity. The discussion contrasts the 'double engine' development model of BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh with the performance of Tamil Nadu and other southern states. Iyer also addresses the 'Vijay factor,' noting the actor-turned-politician's recent silence amid censor hurdles for his film 'Jananayakan.' He highlights the prevailing anti-incumbency issues facing the DMK government and the competitive 'dole politics' between the DMK and AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami. The segment explores whether the narrative of regional development versus central empowerment will resonate with voters in the upcoming electoral battle.

This Special Report examines Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intensive campaign tour across Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where he characterized the DMK administration as a 'corruption, mafia, and crime' government. The program features a high-stakes debate between political spokespersons and analysts regarding the National Democratic Alliance's electoral strategy and the rare joint appearance of EPS and TTV Dhinakaran. BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha alleges the DMK has stalled critical development projects, while DMK spokesperson Dharanidharan defends the state's 11.2 percent growth rate. Key discussion points include the 'double engine government' narrative, fiscal discrepancies in central funding, and the controversial delimitation process affecting South India's parliamentary representation. The report covers the Prime Minister's inauguration of infrastructure projects in Thiruvananthapuram and the Congress party's response to the BJP's southern outreach. Panelists evaluate whether the BJP can challenge the established Dravidian model in Tamil Nadu or the political duopoly in Kerala ahead of the upcoming elections.

The top focus of this episode of 5 Live is on the tragic death of 27-year-old techie Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned after his car plunged into an open, water-filled pit in Noida's Sector 150 on the night of January 16.