The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly’s session led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is reaching its final phase as he prepares to respond to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address. The session, which commenced on June 18 with Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar’s speech, was scheduled for three days following a Business Advisory Committee meeting.
Chief Minister Vijay introduced a resolution opposing Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river during the session. The resolution, amended to include a call for a new arbitration forum, received unanimous approval after a suggestion by Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin. Speaker JCD Prabhakar confirmed the passage of the amended resolution, leading to discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address.
Sharp exchanges occurred between the ruling TVK-led alliance and the DMK Opposition on the opening day of the Assembly session. Subsequently, objections were raised by the AIADMK and other Opposition parties regarding the inclusion of the arbitration mechanism demand in the Mekedatu resolution. The DMK also pressed for a discussion on the tragic deaths of migrant workers due to an ammonia gas leak in Tiruvallur district.
The Opposition parties raised various concerns during the debate on the Governor’s Address, focusing on governance, law and order, women’s safety, power outages, and the implications of the new arbitration forum on the Cauvery issue. They also questioned the government’s actions against officials accused of sexual misconduct and sought clarifications on administrative and political matters. Chief Minister Vijay is expected to address these issues comprehensively in his response, emphasizing law and order, governance, the Mekedatu project, and the government’s initial performance.
