MADURAI: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan claimed he owed his present position to "Thalaivar" (Chief Minister M K Stalin) and unlike others he would remain grateful to him.
Expressing "surprise" over the poor turnout of party leaders at a banquet he hosted to celebrate the re-election of Stalin as DMK president for the second time, Thiaga Rajan alleged that many decided to keep away from the event and had even encouraged others to boycott it.
Addressing the meeting here on Thursday Thiaga Rajan claimed that he was saddened by the developments.
"This should have been a happy occasion, but many boycotted it and told others not to attend. Gratitude is an important virtue and I will not betray him (Stalin)," he said.
Thiaga Rajan's remarks come at a time when several senior Ministers have been courting controversy. Aiming to rein in the loose cannons, the Chief Minister warned the party cadres to be restraint in their speeches and action.
"I wake up hoping that our men would not have caused a new problem. Often, this thought made me sleepless," the Chief Minister had said during his acceptance speech at the recently held DMK general council where he was unanimously elected as party president for the second time.
Stalin's stature was high not because he was wealthy or due to his family background but because of the principles and values he upheld.
"I will not ask anyone not to meet others nor tell the cadres not to paste posters for others. I will remain grateful for being offered this position and I owe it to Thalaivar. I will not betray that gratitude," the Finance Minister said.
He would remain loyal to his principle of self-respect, he added.