CHENNAI: Nearly 81% of Tamil Nadu MLAs have a car either in their own name or in the name of their spouse or a dependent, an analysis of asset declarations from 226 legislators shows, raising questions about the proposed vehicle package announced by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
The analysis shows that 183 of the 226 MLAs, or 80.9%, have access to a car within their immediate family, while 43 have no car declared either in their own name or in the name of their spouse or dependants.
The figures are significant as the government has proposed a monthly vehicle support package for all legislators, ostensibly to enable them to undertake constituency visits, attend to public grievances and monitor government schemes and projects.
Under the proposal announced by the Chief Minister in the Assembly, the government will provide Rs 75,000 per month towards a driver’s salary, fuel, and maintenance, and Rs 25,000 for an assistant. The total monthly support works out to Rs 1 lakh per MLA.
The affidavit data shows that 163 MLAs have cars in their own names. But the number rises to 183 when cars declared by spouses and dependants are included. This means 19 legislators who do not own a car themselves have a car registered in the name of a spouse or dependent.
The ruling TVK has 81 of its 107 MLAs, or nearly 76%, with a car declared either by the legislator or a family member. Thirty MLAs have no cars in their own names, but the broader family-ownership figure suggests that some of these legislators have access to vehicles within their households.
The DMK has one of the highest levels of family car ownership. Fifty-one of its 59 MLAs, or 86.4%, have a car declared either in their own name or that of a spouse or dependent. Forty-six DMK legislators themselves own cars.
Among the AIADMK’s 41 MLAs, 36 have a car in the family, while 27 have cars in their own names. The Congress has the highest possible proportion among the larger parties, with all five of its MLAs having a car declared by themselves or a family member.
The data also show that family ownership is not confined to the major parties. Both IUML MLAs have a family car, and three of the four PMK MLAs do as well. One of each among the two VCK, CPI and CPM MLAs has a family car.
Interestingly, the affidavit analysis also shows that several former chief ministers and ministers of the AIADMK and DMK have declared that neither they nor their family members own a car.
Former AIADMK chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, along with former ministers SP Velumani and Agri SS Krishnamurthi, has not declared a car either in their own names or those of their family members.
TVK MLA Prabhu has declared seven cars, while TVK MLA Kanimozhi Santhosh has also declared seven. AIADMK MLA Leemarose Martin has declared nine cars
Similarly, senior DMK leaders and former ministers, including MRK Pannerselvam, KKSSR Ramachandran, R S Rajakannappan, and PK Sekar Babu, have declared that no cars are in their names or those of their family members.
The Chief Minister announced the vehicle package in the Assembly as part of measures to provide logistical support to legislators for constituency visits, grievance redressal and monitoring government schemes and projects. What the government has proposed is clearly seen in conflict with the ground realities. The announcement was made after TVK member claimed in the Assembly that he comes to the House by an auto, demanding government’s support. On the same day the said MLA was questioned by media personnel on owning a car worth more than Rs 1 crore, but claiming otherwise inside the Assembly. The MLA left the place without answering media’s questions.
Under the proposal, the government will provide Rs 75,000 per month towards the driver’s salary, fuel, and maintenance, as well as Rs 25,000 for an assistant. The total support would therefore be Rs 1 lakh per MLA every month. PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna clarified that it is up to the MLAs to claim by filling out the form.
The political response has reflected the divide in the affidavit data. DMK and CPI have opposed the blanket proposal, while TVK and PMK have favoured providing the facility to legislators without cars.