At the meeting of the newly-elected MLAs at party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, on Wednesday, it was the absence of DMK president M Karunanidhi – the first ever time in the party’s history – that caught more attention.
Interacting with the media after the meeting, his son and party treasurer MK Stalin said Karunanidhi was forced to stay away due to poor health.
Chairing the meeting in the absence of his father, Stalin, the opposition leader, addressed the gathering, particularly the 42 newly-elected MLAs, as to how to conduct inside the Assembly. Sources said he asked them to prepare well before attending the session, and cross check facts before raising questions. The members, he added, should raise more questions about their constituencies. Senior members of the party will guide them in this regard, he added. The House will convene on Thursday. The party has submitted a letter to the Assembly Secretary seeking special seating arrangement for Karunanidhi, said Stalin, adding that the leader would attend the coming sessions if this was done.
Meanwhile, Stalin has returned the vehicle offered by the State government, party sources told Express. The special security, however, would continue for the DMK leader.
The government had provided a car for Stalin as he is the opposition leader. But Stalin returned it, stating in a letter to the Assembly secretary that he has decided to use his own vehicle to reduce expense to the exchequer. Incidentally, Stalin travels in a luxury SUV.