Stalin, Appavu attend Guv’s tea party on I-Day

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday attended the tea party hosted by Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi at Raj Bhavan on Independence Day.

Stalin, accompanied by his cabinet colleagues, Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker M Appavu and chief secretary V Iraianbu visited Raj Bhavan. The Chief Minister presented a figurine of Mahatma Gandhi to Governor Ravi. Deputy leader of opposition O Panneerselvam, his supporters R Vaithilingam and Manoj Pandian also participated in the event, while MLAs of AIADMK led by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami were conspicuous by their absence. MLAs of the state BJP also did not participate in the event. However, the organisers had allotted a sizable number of seats for leaders of political and BJP party persons on the landscape of Raj Bhavan. TMC MP G K Vasan and state Congress president K S Alagiri were also among the audience. DMK’s participation has raised eyebrows in the political circles with a few criticising the ruling party’s change of stand in a couple of months. Pertinently, the ruling DMK had boycotted a similar tea party hosted by Ravi on April 14 in protest of the Governor not giving his assent or forwarding to the Centre the bills adopted by the State Assembly. The DMK had even issued a notice in the Parliament demanding the recall of the Governor for acting in violation of the Constitution. The DMK and the Governor have been at loggerheads after the latter consistently aired views contrary to the policies of the incumbent, mainly on issues like language policy and state autonomy.

Special arrangement for BJP party persons? DMK reacts

Meanwhile, DMK IT wing head TRB Raja criticised the seating arrangements made for guests at Raj Bhavan today. He questioned the “special arrangement” made for “BJP party persons” for the tea party