Chennai: The Tamil Nadu assembly is set to witness a stormy session beginning Thursday, as the DMK and AIADMK gear up to challenge the ruling TVK on law and order and the state's fiscal situation. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is also expected to target TVK over the Mekedatu issue and alleged poaching of MLAs.
Governor's Address to Be Closely Watched
The first day of the session will be closely observed for the Governor's Address and its content, as the customary address has historically been a point of contention between the government and Raj Bhavan during the DMK regime. This marks the first full session of the TVK government.
Debate Over Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu Playing Order
The litmus test for the TVK government begins even before the session starts, with questions over whether the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu will be played first, ahead of the customary Governor's Address. The previous DMK government had confrontations with then Governor R N Ravi, who walked out of the Assembly after objecting to the Tamil invocation being played before the National Anthem.
The TVK government faced backlash during the swearing-in of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on May 10, when Vande Mataram was played first, followed by the National Anthem, pushing Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu to third position. At the time, TVK leaders said Governor R V Arlekar was keen on following the Union government's directive to play Vande Mataram first, followed by the National Anthem. The same sequence was followed during the swearing-in of other ministers. In response to criticism, PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna stated that the Tamil anthem would be played first at all state government functions going forward.
Sharp Attacks Expected Over Law and Order
The new government is also expected to face sharp attacks from the DMK and AIADMK over law and order issues. DMK president M K Stalin held a meeting with party MLAs on Wednesday, instructing them to function as a strong opposition in the assembly and hold the government accountable on key issues, particularly law and order.
AIADMK MLAs have also indicated they will corner the TVK government on the white paper regarding state finances, the non-release of Mettur water for kuruvai cultivation, and the alleged failure to fulfill the poll promise of a total loan waiver for farmers. An AIADMK leader stated, "EPS has instructed us to utilize every opportunity to expose the TVK government's failures, especially on the law and order front."
