Reporter's dairy: The low point of a political debate

CHENNAI: Political discourse in Tamil Nadu has hit a new low thanks to the ongoing war of words between Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji and BJP leaders, with each questioning the other’s manhood.

BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy dared Senthilbalaji to file a case against its party state president K Annamalai if he was ‘man enough’.

“When Annamalai exposed corruption on the issue of BGR, Pongal gift packets, the (ruling party) warned of legal action and filing of defamation case which they never did. Is this bravery? Or manliness?” he tweeted.

Narayanan was responding to Senthilbalaji’s dare to Annamalai to file a court case against him if he was man enough. He said that he would not respond to Annamalai’s false charges.

It started when Senthilbalaji announced the proposed electricity charges hike and noted that the centre had written 28 letters to the State government to hike power tariffs. Denying it, Annamalai has challenged the minister to share the centre’s letter.

With the political exchange hitting new lows, scribes are often advised by both Senthilbalaji and BJP leaders on the questions to ask their opponents.

Whenever any question on Annamalai’s charge was raised, Senthilbalaji responds with an addendum that reporters must also direct questions at the BJP leader.

Annamalai, however, has made it a habit of questioning a scribe’s professional integrity, whenever he/she asks him uncomfortable questions.