Vijayakanth's meeting with PM Manmohan Singh figures in Assembly discussion

CHENNAI: The meeting between DMDK leader and Leader of Opposition Vijayakanth and party MLAs with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week figured in discussions during the budget session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly here today.

L Venkatesan (DMDK) initiated discussion on the budget and said government did not have funds for his constituency. On this, Housing Minister Vaithilingam intervened to say that DMDK leaders should have sought funds from the PM when they called on him.

DMDK's Alagapuram Mohanraj said they had only raised issues of law and order and "poor" electricity situation in the state at the meet. On this, Electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan disagreed and cited media reports to say that the meeting was actually for alliance talks, but had not succeeded.

The Home Minister said this fact had been reported in the media, to which DMDK's Mohanraj sought to know whether the government was ready to discuss everything which appeared in the media.

Finance Minister O Panneerselvam too said the Centre had not allocated enough funds to the state and claimed DMDK's meeting with the Prime Minister had not borne fruit.

In between, many DMDK legislators tried in vain to have their say and finally their Deputy Floor Leader Mohanraj was given a chance.

On February 14, Vijaykanth met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi and sought his intervention for resolution of the fishermen's issue.

He submitted a memorandum, urging him to take up the fishermen issue with the Lankan government to arrive at a settlement and review the 1974 accord with the neighbouring country, if necessary.

The 1974 accord pertains to an agreement between India and Sri Lanka over Katchatheevu Islands.