U-turns, audio tapes rock DMK government just before 2nd anniversary

In 10 days, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government led by Chief Minister M K Stalin will complete two years in office, but the ruling party’s U-turns on two major decisions and release of purported audio tapes of Finance Minister P T R Palanivel Thiaga Rajan by the BJP might take the sheen off the celebrations.

Add to the list, the ‘DMK Files’ released by TN BJP chief K Annamalai and the war of words between the two political parties and a slew of legal notices from both sides on allegations made against them by the other side. The developments come close on the heels of the DMK dispensation coming under fire for “mishandling” of the Tirunelveli episode where an ASP was accused of torturing suspects in police stations under his jurisdiction.

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While Thiaga Rajan has termed the first audio clip with a duration of 26 seconds as “malicious” and “fabricated”, he called the second video posted by TN BJP chief K Annamalai on Twitter on April 25 as a desperate attempt by a “blackmail gang” to achieve its “political ambitions.”

The first clip, which the Finance Minister has denied, speaks about alleged corruption within the DMK, while the second one deals with the functioning of the Stalin government.

Even before the dust over the audio tapes settled, the government suffered two major embarrassments on April 24 when it put on hold the amendments to Factories Act and made changes to a GO that allowed serving of liquor in marriage halls, convention centres, and during celebrations.

The DMK government came under stringent criticism from various quarters, including its own allies, for the amendment that provides flexible working hours for desirable employees in factories of select sectors. Though the government clarified that the weekly working hours would remain capped at 48 hours, the political parties and trade unions said they will never accept the amendments to the Factories Act.

“Developments in the past one month has certainly brought a bad name to the government. The ASP was suspended only after an outrage and it took 20 days for the government to file a case against the IPS officer. And then came the U-turns which were avoidable. The government has to do a lot of explaining on these issues,” a political analyst told DH.

Questions are also being raised over the manner in which the DMK government brought the Bill in the Assembly and passed it through voice vote, while the contours of the Act were being discussed for at least six months by various departments.

“The government should have held talks with stakeholders before introducing it in the Assembly. But putting it on hold after it was passed doesn’t bode well for a government,” the analyst added. DMK leaders said they didn’t expect controversial issues to pile up just before the second anniversary during which Stalin is expected to make major announcements.

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One leader said there was an urgent need to counter the perception that there is no “coordination” within the government as the Lok Sabha elections are just a year away. “While the party has already begun preparations for the polls by appointing observers for all assembly segments, the U-turns and controversies will have a negative fallout,” he said.

The party is also under pressure to explain charges made by the BJP on the assets held by senior party leaders, including members of the first family.

Sources said the government will also come under pressure to explain the “pause” on the amendments to investors, especially those in the electronics sector, who were hoping to increase their production. “The changes were brought in to help companies that are involved in assembling Apple iPhones and footwear manufacturing. The guidelines should have been released along with the Bill but the government failed on that count as well,” the source added.