'Refrain from spending people's tax money to build memorial to CM's father'

CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar on Sunday criticised the DMK government for naming the library in Madurai after Chief Minister M K Stalin's father and former CM M Karunanidhi and wondered why it was not named after poet Thiruvalluvar?

"Establishing a library is welcomed. But why is it named after Karunanidhi? It could have been named after Tamil scholars and literates, who had contributed and served for the language immensely, to honour their contribution to the Tamil language. But the Chief Minister (M K Stalin) is busy installing statues and memorials for his father. It is unwelcomed and the government should refrain from spending the people's tax money on creating memorials for the CM's father, " Jayakumar told the reporters after the senior level party meeting chaired by general secretary of AIADMK Edappadi K Palaniswami at party headquarters.

Presidium chairman Tamil Magan Hussain and senior leaders K P Munusamy, Dindugal Srinivasan, Natham Viswanathan, K A Senguttaiyan, C Ponnaiyan, S P Velumani and P Thangamani were among the participants.

Continuing in the same vein, Jayakumar wondered the rationality behind the pen memorial in the sea at Rs 80 crore. "The government should spend the fund to create infrastructure for the people of the state, " he said.

On the steep rise of vegetable price and inflation, he said that the AIADMK regime had distributed vegetables at a subsidy rate when there was a huge shortage.

However, the present government failed in taking such measures for the welfare of the people. "Why does not the government allocate funds to ensure vegetables are sold at a subsidised rate?"

EPS Delhi visit to attend NDA meeting:

Ahead of attending the meeting with leaders of political parties in BJP-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regarding the impending Lok Sabha polls, AIADMK general secretary and leader of opposition party Edappadi K Palaniswami held a meeting with the senior leaders of the party to arrive at a firm decision.

Sources in the party said that the discussion focused on the Madurai Conference and the July 18 meeting in Delhi with leaders of BJP and other alliance parties in the NDA. The party leadership is clear that the alliance with the saffron party is intact. However, the leaders are cautious about the approach of the saffron party with its regional partners.

"The meeting is likely to be on strategy for the forthcoming elections. It is nothing more. Discussion on allocation of seats and constituencies for the allies (BJP and other minor parties) will be held here in Chennai close to the elections, " he said and ruled out the rumours that the leaders seriously discussed EPS visit to Delhi for the NDA leaders' meeting.