Chennai: DMK leader M.K. Stalin and DMDK founder Vijayakanth both have something in common apart from issuing statements against the ruling AIADMK. Both had so far failed to take on the government in the current Assembly session that commenced on August 28. Another five business days are left for the opposition to score politically.
Particularly, when elections are round the corner, DMK veteran M. Karunanidhi, or his trained lieutenants will be at their best in taking on the ruling party. But the show by young opposition Dravidian leaders in the Assembly so far has not been impressive, when compared to seniors like Duraimurugan, who every now and then targets the state scoring brownie points equipped with official data.
In the absence of Stalin in the House, Duraimurugan on Monday told reporters that the Assembly had failed to discuss even sensitive issues. While he has made unsuccessful attempts to take on the State, Stalin who usually recorded his statement outside the Assembly last week, told reporters that he was finding it difficult to raise issues in the Assembly as the opposition is not given adequate time.
“Only MLAs singing paeans are allowed to talk inside and we are staging a walk out”, is the default quote of Stalin. In the past 14 days of session, DMK staged a walkout more than a dozen times, followed by Congress and Left MLAs every third day.
In the case of DMDK leader Vijayakanth, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, the situation is even bleak. He hardly attended any session since last month. He has never made any reference to his constituency, With all his MLAs being suspended and another half migrating, the DMDK in the current session hardly had any representation.
Vijayakanth justified his stand that he is not allowed to speak in the Assembly. Another actor-turned politician Sarath Kumar occasionally attends the Assembly, but never fails to appreciate the State showering laurels on the Chief Minister. Left party MLAs attend the session regularly and also raise public issues pertaining to their constituencies, but admit “Amma” as the lioness holding the forte in Tamil Nadu.
