CHENNAI: Water Resources Minister R Anand on Wednesday triggered a political exchange in the Assembly by claiming that TVK and its leader Vijay had provided electoral opportunities to Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar, Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan and several others to become MLAs.
The exchange began when Sankarapuram MLA R Rakesh highlighted the achievements of the AIADMK, which he said had ruled Tamil Nadu for nearly 30 years and would remain for hundreds of years. He also said Speaker JCD Prabhakar and Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan were among the political leaders produced by the AIADMK.
Responding to him, Minister Anand said it was TVK and Vijay who had given Prabhakar, Sengottaiyan and others an opportunity to contest recent elections and enter the Assembly.
Speaking subsequently, Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan said there was a phase in his political career when he was uncertain about his political future after facing setbacks. He claimed that it was Chief Minister Vijay who provided him an opportunity and helped him become an MLA.
The remarks resulted in a political sparring in the Assembly over the respective contributions of the AIADMK and TVK to the political careers of the leaders.