Day after MK invite, BJP Minister ridicules Congress

DMK president Karunanidhi’s invitation to the Congress to join its alliance was akin to orphans being given a helping hand, union minister of state for surface transport Pon Radhakrishnan told newsmen in Kanyakumari. The allegory was apt as till date no other party had bothered about the congress party in TN, he added. He further said the Tamil Nadu BJP had created a committee with state VP Ms. Vanathi Srinivawsan and L. Ganesan for talks with parties seeking an alliance with the BJP. 

The minister who was in Suchindaran to inspect work on the Rs.7.50 crore bridge said, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was approached for funding of Rs.34,000 crores for the proposed 23 kilometre sea bridge connecting Danushkodi in Ramanathapuram district with Talaiamannar in Sri Lanka. He said he was confident that work would start soon on this much needed facility. 

Talks were under ways between India and Sri Lanka on this issue, he added. Also it was planned to create 105 new river routes in TN which in the last 60 years saw only 5 such routes being created. He further said that while Rs.100 crore was necessary for immediate repairs of rain ravaged roads in Tamil Nadu, another Rs.400 crores would be needed for permanent repairs, he added.