Harassment Row: MLA’s explanation forwarded; Kallakurichi Collector to respond says KA Sengottaiyan

COIMBATORE: In a first-ever admission, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KA Sengottaiyan said the government has received an explanation from the TVK's Kallakurichi MLA, C Arul Vignesh, on the alleged misconduct involving District Collector JE Padmaja.

“The explanation had been forwarded to the Collector, who would now decide on the matter,” he said.

The acknowledgement, made during an interaction with the media at Sathyamangalam, contradicts the accused MLA's and the entire TVK war room's claim that nothing happened and it was all a figment of imagination. The minister told reporters that ruling party member Arul Vignesh had submitted an explanation on the controversy over the alleged improper messages sent to the District Collector.

The minister said the ball was in the Collector's court to decide on the ruling-party MLA's explanation. He didn't elaborate on the clarification the TVK legislator issued.

Meanwhile, he said there was no indication the opposition planned to move a no-confidence motion against the government, which had completed six months in office. “Even if they bring a no-confidence motion, the government is ready to face it,” he said. Yet he denied reports that TVK MLAs were made to sign blank papers during a meeting with the Chief Minister. “Vijay had interacted with the legislators to ascertain the requirements of their respective constituencies,” he said.

Reacting to the spate of murders reported during Deepavali, Sengottaiyan said the incidents were largely triggered by personal enmity. “People should exercise restraint and avoid jealousy to prevent such crimes,” he said.

On the opposition's charge that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was announcing welfare measures in certain districts with an eye on the by-elections to five constituencies, Sengottaiyan declined to comment, observing that opposition parties routinely levelled such allegations whenever elections approached.