Sparks fly during debate on grants

Stalin’s defence of Senthil Balaji gets sharp response from OPS

Leaders of the ruling and the Opposition parties were locked in a heated discussion in the Assembly on Thursday over the past incidents involving DMK Aravakurichi MLA V. Senthil Balaji, who was earlier in the AIADMK and was disqualified after joining the faction led by T.T.V. Dhinakaran.

During the debate on the demand for grants to the Energy Department, Mr. Balaji made some comments objecting to which Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his ministerial colleagues took a dig at him for switching political loyalties often.

Coming to Mr. Balaji’s defence, Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin argued that even Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam had voted against the AIADMK government in February 2017. To this, Mr. Panneerselvam responded, “I had only launched my

dharma yudham . Later on, the Chief Minister too supported me and that was why, both of us joined hands eventually. We did not join any other party unlike him.”

The

dharma yudham was to release the AIADMK from the clutches of a single family, he claimed.

CM’s barb

Mr. Palaniswami, who looked agitated at certain comments made by Mr. Balaji, quoted how the DMK mouthpiece

Murasoli had in the past published sharp exchanges between Mr. Stalin and Mr. Balaji, who was then in the AIADMK.

Mr. Stalin had then reportedly accused Mr. Balaji of being involved in a case of abduction.

The Chief Minister sarcastically asked the Aravakurichi MLA to remain in a party instead of roller skating.

DMK Deputy Floor Leader Duraimurugan said it was not appropriate to dig into the past and criticise someone.

At one point, AIADMK MLAs questioned if the Aravakurichi MLA had changed his maiden name Senthil Kumar to Senthil Balaji upon changing political loyalties. To this, he responded that even Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar had changed his name, prompting a response from the latter: “Yes, my name was Baskar and I changed it. But, I have not changed my party. I have remained in the AIADMK since 1984.”