Tamil Nadu Assembly: Sengottaiyan and O. Panneerselvam trade barbs over political switch, leaders’ photographs in shirt pockets

In the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Revenue Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, who had recently defected from the AIADMK to join the DMK and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) respectively, engaged in light-hearted banter over their "change of places." The exchange took place during the debate on Revised and Agriculture Budgets.

Panneerselvam criticized the TVK government for failing to implement even its electoral promises as pilot projects, while Sengottaiyan defended his administration, stating that it would take five years to fulfill its electoral commitments. Sengottaiyan questioned why Panneerselvam was praising the new government, to which Panneerselvam replied that Sengottaiyan was the one who had initially changed places.

The debate was interrupted by School Education Minister Rajamohan, who defended Sengottaiyan, noting that TVK leader C. Joseph Vijay had asked Panneerselvam not to alter the photograph of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa he kept in his shirt pocket. Public Works Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna added that Sengottaiyan continued to keep the photograph of Jayalalithaa despite changing his political allegiance.

Panneerselvam responded by stating that he kept the photographs of Periyar, Anna, Kalaignar, MGR, Jayalalithaa, and M.K. Stalin in his heart. When Sengottaiyan accused Panneerselvam of speaking improperly, the former Chief Minister pointed out their long history of traveling together and his knowledge of Sengottaiyan's commitment.