COIMBATORE: AIADMK MLAs A Govindasamy and V Sampath Kumar, along with their supporters, were arrested after a quarrel broke out with DMK functionaries at a review meeting chaired by Tourism Minister R Rajendran in Dharmapuri on Friday.

The minister listened to the demands raised by farmers at Thyagi Subramaniya Siva Sugar Co-Operative Society in Gopalapuram near Harur in the presence of district Collector R Sadheesh and Member of Parliament A Mani when the ruckus broke out.

Earlier, the two AIADMK MLAs A Govindasamy and V Sampath Kumar, accompanied by their supporters, met the minister at the entrance of the meeting hall. Govindasamy dared Rajendran to quit if the reply given by the minister to queries on the sugar factory in Gopalapuram in the Assembly session was proven wrong. The MLA also offered to quit his post if there was anything wrong with the questions he raised.

In response, the minister said, “I am ready.” While participating in the meeting, Govindasamy said the proposal to establish a power plant in Thyagi Subramaniya Siva Sugar Co-Operative Society was dropped in 2015.

“However, the minister gave wrong information in the Assembly that 40 per cent of the work to establish the power plant has been completed,” he said.

DMK functionaries present in the meeting raised objections and shouted slogans, while AIADMK workers countered them, triggering tense moments. Following this, the police intervened and arrested 22 AIADMK functionaries, including the two MLAs. They were taken to a marriage hall and released later.