CM Vijay tells ‘short story’ in Assembly; Udhayanidhi says House turned into a cinema

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday locked horns over a “short story”, a swag pose, and some remarks by Mr. Vijay during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address in the Assembly.

In his reply to the House, Mr. Vijay narrated a “short story”, a style he had often employed during audio launch functions as an actor, and at public meetings as TVK president.

“In a village, an elderly man was walking around with his hand placed above his eyes, as the sunlight was very bright. He was searching for someone. At that time, a little boy, who was with him, asked him whom he was searching for. The elderly man said he was looking for the boy’s father, as he had been told that he (the father) would be there, but could not find him anywhere,” Mr. Vijay said.

The Chief Minister said he, too, knew how to speak in a sarcastic and mocking manner. “No one here in the House needs to get tensed. It was just what the elderly man said in the story,” he said.

Though the Chief Minister did not name anyone from the Opposition parties in his story, and the DMK members were not present in the House when he made the remarks, his comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the defeat of former Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin in the Kolathur Assembly constituency.

While concluding his speech, Mr. Vijay made a hand gesture resembling a swag pose. Before making the gesture, he asked the Speaker if he could perform an “action”.

Later, speaking to journalists outside the Assembly, Mr. Udhayanidhi said the DMK legislators listened quietly while the Chief Minister was speaking in a “cinematic style”.

However, the Chief Minister made certain remarks that were contrary to the facts, Mr. Udhayanidhi added.

“He had come with a prepared script. He spoke as if he would not respond to questions until he finished reading his prepared script, and nobody should say ‘cut’ while the shooting was in progress,” the Leader of the Opposition said.

The Chief Minister must answer the questions raised by the people. Blaming the DMK for everything has become a routine, he alleged.

He said that when former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s portrait was unveiled in the Assembly, the President participated in the event.

“There is a protocol for the President, whereas the Governor has no such protocol,” Mr. Udhayanidhi said, while responding to a question on Mr. Vijay’s remark that the National Anthem was sung twice on that occasion during the DMK regime.

Mr. Udhayanidhi alleged the Chief Minister had belittled the farmers’ agitation by claiming it had been instigated by the DMK. He also questioned the rationale behind the Chief Minister meeting a section of ‘rebel’ AIADMK legislators and leaders before the trust vote. “First, a sofa went there, and then Mr. Vijay himself went there. Now, [AIADMK] MLAs are resigning one by one and joining the TVK,” he said.

Responding to a question on the “short story”, Mr. Udhayanidhi said, Mr. Vijay continued to follow the style and grammar of audio launch and trailer launch functions even inside the Assembly. “The Assembly has been turned into a cinema. Today, members whistled inside the House. This has never happened before. At this rate, they may even dance to songs. Everything is being scripted and planned so that it trends on social media and gets shared as reels.”