Chennai, June 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday launched a sharp counterattack against the opposition DMK in the Assembly, rejecting allegations that his government functioned as the “B-team” of any political party and asserting that the administration drew its strength solely from the people’s mandate.

Replying to the motion of thanks to the Governor’s Address on the final day of the Assembly session, Vijay defended his government’s performance on law and order, education, social justice, and governance, while accusing the previous DMK regime of leaving behind several unresolved challenges.

Addressing concerns raised by opposition members over law and order, he said the government was open to constructive suggestions but questioned the DMK’s record in tackling narcotics-related crimes. He alleged that the drug menace had expanded during the previous administration and maintained that his government was taking decisive measures to curb the problem and restore public confidence.

Vijay also took a swipe at Opposition leaders who had repeatedly demanded that he speak more frequently in the Assembly. In a pointed remark aimed at the DMK leadership, he said even a brief speech from him had created political tremors, an apparent reference to DMK President and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

On Centre-State relations, Vijay said his government would pursue a pragmatic approach focused on Tamil Nadu’s development. While maintaining cordial ties with the Union government, he reiterated his administration’s opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and the National Education Policy (NEP). He reaffirmed that medical admissions should be based on Class 12 marks and said Tamil Nadu would continue to resist policies perceived as undermining the state’s educational interests.

Defending his cabinet’s composition, Vijay highlighted the representation given to women and the Scheduled Castes, arguing that his government was implementing the principles of social justice envisioned by Dr B.R. Ambedkar. He questioned the DMK’s commitment to the same ideals and said the present administration had ensured broader social representation.

Rejecting claims that the TVK government survived on the support of rival parties, Vijay said that the Left parties, such as the CPI and CPI-M, had independently chosen to back the government. “We are not anybody’s B-team. We are the People’s Team,” he declared, adding that his administration would not tolerate corruption or misuse of public funds.

The Chief Minister concluded his address with a series of sarcastic remarks directed at the Opposition, including a brief “kutty story” and a pointed observation that those responsible for creating problems should not lecture others on governance, drawing loud reactions from both treasury and Opposition benches.

–IANS

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