AIADMK leader refutes PWD minister's charge against Jaya

Chennai, Feb 2 (UNI) Senior AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam today refuted state Public Works Minister Duraimurugan's charge that AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa had taken up the Palar issue only after the Andhra Pradesh Government served a notice to her to take possession of her vineyard in Hyderabad.

''These are two different issues and it is highly condemnable to combine them. It only reflects his immaturity and irresponsible attitude,'' he charged in a statement here.

He alleged the DMK Government had so far not come out with concrete steps to stall the proposed construction of a check dam across the Palar river by the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Though the DMK was in power both at the Centre and in the state, the state had not benefitted anything, he charged.

When the Palar issue came up, Ms Jayalalithaa, who was the Chief Minister then, immediately wrote to her Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y S Rajasekara Reddy. Since Andhra Pradesh's reply was not satisfactory, she moved the Supreme Court then, he said.

Denying Mr Duraimurugan's charge that the AIADMK Government filed a case on the issue 'just for namesake' , Mr Panneerselvam said it was ridiculous that the Minister was unaware of the fact that after filing the case in February last year, the Assembly elections followed, leading to a change of government.

UNI