Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 08, 2008
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Thursday, May 08, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Tamil Nadu
DINNER DIPLOMACY: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi hosting a party for MLAs in Chennai on Wednesday. CLP leader D. Sudarssanam (left), PMK president G.K. Mani, Speaker R. Avudaiappan and TNCC president M. Krishnasswami are in the picture. CHENNAI: The dinner was slated to begin at 7.30 p.m. but the host, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, prepared to leave his Gopalapuram residence just past 6 p.m. When his personal staff asked him why he should, especially when his Cabinet colleagues and the department in charge of such interface, the Public Department, would take care, he reportedly said: “I am the host. I have to be there before the first guest arrives.” The Chief Minister’s entourage arrived at the Taj Coromandel at 6.15 p.m. There was no one except the local Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner and a few police personnel. “Everyone else came after he did,” an official said. Mr. Karunanidhi sat in the ante-room next to the huge ballroom and the guests were led to him where he welcomed each of them. Among the guests were Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiappan, Ministers, leaders of political parties, civil servants, MLAs, prosecutors, the Advocate General and the Additional Advocate General. Missing were the members from the main Opposition party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and its ally, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam. The lone Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam member, Vijayakant, was also absent. “There is no other State where the Opposition boycotts such dinners,” said Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami. “We tried to change all this sometime back, but it did not work,” he added. The change the DMK tried was in 2001. “Perasiriyar [K. Anbazhagan, Finance Minister] and I were asked to go for the swearing in of [AIADMK leader] Jayalalithaa,” recalled M.K. Stalin, Local Administration Minister. “But the way we were received left much to be desired,” he added. Mr. Anbazhagan said the DMK attended the swearing-in despite its representatives not being given the importance that the main Opposition party deserved. “We went after she was elected [from Andipatty]. But when the treatment there was so bad, we decided not to go for the dinners,” he said. Leaders of political parties flanked Mr. Karunanidhi on the head table. The Chief Minister, who adheres to a strict diet regimen, ate two idlis and also savoured a gulab jamoon. Most of his guests savoured parathas, biriyani and curd rice along with accompanying dishes. The conversations continued long after the last course was served. As the Chief Minister rose to leave, after spending more than two hours at the dinner, a queue of people thanked him.
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