Chennai, Jan 26 () The Congress, CPI, VCK and TVK have announced that they will boycott the ‘At Home’ reception hosted by Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi at the Raj Bhavan here on the occasion of Republic Day, but the state’s ruling DMK has confirmed its attendance at the event.
DMK sources in the DMK told the Governor called Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on the phone late Wednesday evening to invite him to the reception, breaking the ice between the two.
There had been no communication between Stalin and Ravi after the latter walked out from the state Legislative Assembly during the inaugural ceremony of the budget session.
The Governor deputed his secretary Anandrao V. Patil to meet the Chief Minister and hand over the invitation, the sources said, adding that Stalin attend the function or depute a senior minister for the function.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Selvaperunthagai told mediapersons that he and his party MLAs would boycott the ceremony.
He said that the Governor was acting as an agent of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was running a parallel government.
Selvaperunthagai added that the Governor was a deliberately delaying’ his assent to important legislations in the state Assembly.
Regarding party’s decision to boycott the event, TVK leader T. Velmurugan said the Governor was insulting the government of Tamil Nadu and its people for delaying assent to several bills passed by the Assembly.
Echoing a similar remark, CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan said Ravi was functioning as the RSS head rather than the Governor in the state.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalvan also confirmed that his party would boycott the reception.
aal/ksk/
