Forest minister takes credit for mooting talks

He was talking to reporters here after distributing certificates to forest range officers, who had completed training at the Forest College on Sunday. Sreenivasan said that he has been serving as the party’s treasurer to the fullest satisfaction. Putting the ball in the PTA group’s court, the minister said, “The AIADMK (Amma) faction has fulfilled the demands put forward by OPS-led faction. Efforts are on for conducting unification talks, but the other faction is not responding to it.” 

He also said that AIADMK (A) would not suffer a setback if the PTA faction has an alliance with the BJP for the local body elections. He expressed confidence that the present government will complete the full term. He welcomed actor Rajinikanth’s inclination to enter politics. However, he was quick to support the stand of Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani, who had condemned the actor for his remarks against the government. 

He further claimed that there were not much elephant deaths due to drought, as projected by wildlife activists or forest department officials. He said that it is up to the Centre to bring changes in the Wildlife Act.

Commenting on the AIADMK merger issue, Communist Party of India (CPI) state president R Mutharasan said, “Former chief minister O Panneerselvam or Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy will have no role in the unification of the two factions of the AIADMK. It is up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a decision in this regard.” He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the renovated district party office in the city on Sunday. 

Mutharasan said that the open threat to the state government (by Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu) at a recent meeting in Chennai was against democracy. Mutharasan claimed that the Union government is using its agencies, such as the CBI and Income Tax department, to make the state government dance to its tunes. 

“The inspection of the state’s functioning by a Union Minister has brought shame to Tamil Nadu as it is happening for the first time,” he added. He accused the state government of being afraid to conduct the local body polls and convene the Assembly for debating the budget. On Rajinikanth’s recent statement, the CPI leader commented, “Let him make an official announcement.”