Minister Aadhav mocks BJP’s lone MLA, flouts House decorum: TN BJP Nainar

CHENNAI: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Thursday hit out at PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna for mocking BJP MLA M Bhojarajan as representing the party with only a single member in the Assembly, during a discussion on the delimitation

The BJP chief accused Aadhav of displaying a lack of legislative propriety. In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran said that Aadhav Arjuna's mocking of Bhojarajan was highly condemnable. Calling the remarks unbecoming of a legislator, Nainar said Aadhav should first understand legislative conventions and political developments before making such statements.

He also dismissed Aadhav's contention that delimitation would weaken Tamil Nadu's representation in Parliament. "Saying that Tamil Nadu's MPs will be reduced when their number increases from 39 to 59 is an expression of your ignorance," he said, adding that the State's representation would rise to 7.23 per cent.

Nainar also rejected the minister's argument that the proposed exercise would favour only Hindi-speaking and populous states. He said the Centre's proposal envisaged a 50 per cent increase in representation irrespective of population or language, and therefore would not disadvantage any state.

Pointing to the existing challenges faced by MPs representing constituencies spread across four districts and by those representing constituencies with populations larger than some states, the BJP leader said delimitation could help address such disparities.

"Your freeze-delimitation policy, on the other hand, will ultimately lead to the complete silencing of Tamil Nadu's voice," he added.