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Durai Murugan makes electrifying plea in Assembly

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai April 1. It was a dramatic finale to the budget debate in the Assembly today. And, the key persona in the intense drama was the DMK deputy floor leader, M. Durai Murugan.

Just as he wound up his long speech, the DMK leader, much to the surprise of the House, held aloft his folded hands, did a roundabout and let out a full-throated plea: ``On behalf of the lakhs and lakhs of farmers, I appeal to the Government to continue free power supply.''

Recalling a similar dramatic request made by a woman Congress member in Parliament several years ago, he said: ``As a son of a farmer, I appeal to the Government not to stop free power supply for farmers."

Let not history say the free power scheme launched by the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, was stopped by the AIADMK Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, he fervently pleaded.

And, he ended his speech with the punchline: ``Tears of the poor are swords directed at the Government''.

As the House dispersed for lunch-break, Ms. Jayalalithaa, quite amused by Mr. Durai Murugan's dramatics, was heard commenting: ``You are a greater actor than ``Nadigar Thilagam'' (Sivaji Ganesan).

Later, in the afternoon, the Finance Minister, C. Ponnaiyan, hailing Mr. Durai Murugan's performance, said had he become a film actor he would have upstaged Sivaji Ganesan and won the title ``Chevalier''.

Immediately, the Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, pointed out that Mr. Durai Murugan was all set to enter the film world, but it was M.G. Ramachandran who asked him to join politics. And, the House plunged into laughter.

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