CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday used his maiden reply to a confidence motion in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to firmly push back against Opposition attacks on his government, dismissing allegations of horse-trading and asserting that the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) administration would be judged by the pace of its governance.
Replying to the debate on the motion of confidence moved by him in the House, Vijay said the TVK government had emerged from an unprecedented mandate secured by a party that was only three years old and maintained that attempts to portray it as politically fragile would not unsettle the ruling dispensation.
“Even if some wish to describe this as a minority government, we are happy about it. We ourselves say this is a minority government — a government that will genuinely safeguard minorities,” the Chief Minister said during his address.
The remarks came amid sharp attacks from the DMK, AIADMK and DMDK, which accused the ruling party of indulging in horse-trading ahead of the trust vote.
Rejecting the charge, Vijay said his government was focused on administration rather than political arithmetic. In a pointed response to the Opposition, he remarked that while allegations of horse-trading were being levelled against his government, the administration itself was functioning at horse speed.
Seeking to define the ideological character of his government, Vijay said the TVK administration would function on the principles of social justice, secularism and equal opportunity. He asserted that the government would belong to all sections of society without discrimination based on caste, religion or political preference.
“There will be no distinction between those who voted for us and those who did not. This is a government for everyone,” he said.
In a politically significant remark during the debate, the Chief Minister also said he would reconsider the appointment of TVK spokesperson and astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel to a government post after criticism from Opposition parties and allies.
Hours later, in a swift course correction, the government revoked Rickey Pandit’s appointment, underlining the sensitivity surrounding the issue in the Assembly and outside.