DMK is incapable of running a govt, says Jayakumar

CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and former Minister D Jayakumar on Monday said the DMK government is incapable of running the government as it has been seeking the support of the Opposition parties for every issue.

It is the duty of the ruling party to get adequate financial assistance from the Union government. Asking the help and seeking their support is nothing but their incompetence, the former minister said while responding to a question on Udhayanidhi Stalin's challenge to the opposition party to voice for the State welfare and pressure the Centre to release Rs 5060 crore for the interim relief of cyclonic storm Michaung that caused severe damage to Chennai and three other northern districts.

It is a "diversion tactic" of the ruling party to deflect the people's attention from their mismanagement of the cyclone, he continued.

"We will raise the issue. But it's the duty of the ruling government and they should flag the issue in the Parliament and demand the Centre to release funds for the State, " he said after distributing relief measures to residents in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.

He also demanded the government submit a detailed report on the damages caused by the cyclone to the central team.

"The government should give the details to reflect the ground reality to get the necessary relief fund from the Centre. It should not indulge in misleading the team," he said.

On a challenge from State Health Minister Ma Subramanian for a one-to-one debate over the flood mitigation works carried out by the DMK and AIADMK regimes, Jayakumar said, "We are ready for it if they publish a white paper on the stormwater drain project. Will they?"