TIRUCHY: The faction feud between DMK ministers K N Nehru and N Selvaraj came to the fore during the inauguration of a government function here on Wednesday.
As part of the National Consumer Protection Day celebrations, a State-level exhibition was organised and it was scheduled to be inaugurated by Transport Minister Nehru in the presence of Forest Minister Selvaraj at 10 am.
Though Selvaraj reached the venue on time, he was waiting for the arrival of Nehru. But Nehru came late by 15 minutes. Immediately on his arrival Nehru inaugurated the exhibition as requested by the officials.
Meanwhile, on information, Selvaraj, who came along with his supporters, visited the spot and started arguing with Nehru. “I was waiting for you since 10 am and you inaugurated the function befooling me,” Selvaraj shouted at Nehru. “Leave it,” replied Nehru.
Supporters of Selvaraj started shouting and said it was a regular practice of Nehru and his supporters ‘insulting’ Selvaraj in the public functions. Nehru asked Selvaraj’s supporters to be quite.
In the meantime Nehru asked the officials to tie up the inaugural ribbon for a second time so that it could be cut again by him in the presence of Selvaraj and his followers.
Principal Secretary, Civil Supplies Department, Swaran Singh, Commissioner K Balachandran, District Collector Mahesan Kasirajan, Mayor S Sujatha and others were present.
Sources said the two senior ministers have nurtured factions of their own in the district over the years maintaining their composure on the dais. Their supporters quite often levelled charges against each other now and then. It was also reported that the Chief Minister M Karunanidhi who met the Tiruchy party office bearers in Chennai recently had warned both the ministers not to play spoil sport to the party by nurturing factions within the party and stressed to work together as the elections are round the corner.