Jaya boycott takes centrestage

The inauguration of a Siddha institute here today by PM Manmohan Singh turned into a political slugfest over Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa&...

The inauguration of a Siddha institute here today by PM Manmohan Singh turned into a political slugfest over Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s boycotting the function. While a state minister read out the text of her speech, citing “illness”, Union Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran countered that ‘‘the 12 ministers have done in the last 15 months what was not achieved in four years.’’

Today’s was the second function involving the Prime Minister which Jayalalithaa boycotted. She also failed to turn up at the reception accorded to the Prime Minister at the airport. There were doubts about Jayalalithaa attending the function following her scathing attack last evening on the UPA government, particularly DMK Minister T.R. Baalu for making a ‘‘hasty decision’’ to go ahead with the Sethusamudram Canal Project. Demanding that dredging in Palk Strait be halted immediately, she warned that her government would not allow the project.

Sources said that last night, following instructions from the AIADMK high command, party flags and banners on the road from the airport, welcoming the Prime Minister, were pulled down. Truckloads of AIADMK cadre who were to reach the airport were also stopped.

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Maran took on state Health Minister Thalavai Sundaram who read out Jayalalithaa’s speech. Targeting the CM’s allegation that Central ministers had done little for the state, Maran listed the achievements of his ministers, even referring to P. Chidambaram as the ‘‘best Finance Minister we can get’’. Union Shipping Minister T.R. Baalu and Environment Minister A. Raja, he credited with the Sethusamudram Project and afforestation schemes. As for himself, he had ‘‘removed zero from Tamil Nadu’’; callers between districts did not need to dial zero on their mobile phones.

Sundaram, while proposing the vote of thanks, countered with the state government’s achievements — ‘‘eliminated Veerappan, implemented the New Veeranam Scheme and eradicated pirated VCDs’’.

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