Governor's address disappointing: M Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Thursday said the details provided in the Governor's address on power situation, industrial investments and new jobs are contrary to truth.

Terming the statement of the Governor on Tamil Nadu becoming a power surplus state 'the biggest joke of the year', Karunanidhi said there are reports of power outages for several hours from many places. "The address is full of contradictions, disappointing and an empty statement without policy announcements", he said.

The Governor's address had only listed the Amma schemes and reminded people of the memorandum given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  The issues of Sri Lankan Tamils, fishermen, Cauvery Management Board, Mullaiperiyar, interlinking of rivers and Katchetheevu retrieval had already been mentioned in the Governor's address on January 20 this year, the DMK leader said.

Party treasurer M.K. Stalin said the address contained what the state government wished to do, but did not have details on how to implement them. Describing the address as 'An Amma calendar', he said the AIADMK was responsible for the closing of Nokia and Foxconn factories. It only contained the ongoing schemes and those which had already been announced.

‘Seating arrangement for Karuna not convenient’:

DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Thursday said the seating arrangement for party leader M. Karunanidhi was not convenient for him to come to the Assembly. Reacting to a question on seating arrangement for Karunanidhi, he said the seats for former ministers and those who had functioned in the House should be allocated first as per norms. Seats for new members should be allocated only after that, but such norms were not followed, he complained.

Stalin said the DMK had requested the Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal to make seating arrangements for Karunanidhi to enable him come to the House. Karunanidhi had been allocated a seat in the second row behind Stalin.