Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's proposal to move his office to a new location has triggered a political dispute, with the Opposition questioning the transparency of the tender process for the proposed shift.
Vijay plans to move the Chief Minister's Office from Fort St George to Namakkal Kavingar Maaligai in Chennai, reportedly to create more space for his staff. Work related to the proposed relocation is already underway, according to reports. The state government recently invited a tender worth around Rs 5.5 crore for the shifting of the office.
BJP Raises Questions Over Tender
The Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged irregularities in the tender process, marking the first corruption-related allegation against the three-month-old government.
BJP leader CR Kesavan claimed the tender was issued nearly a month after construction work had already begun.
He said the alleged irregularities were at odds with the government's claims of ensuring transparency in the tendering process. Kesavan also pointed out that the TVK government had been in power for only around 100 days and was already facing scrutiny over the matter.
DMK MLA Seeks Government Clarification
DMK MLA EV Velu said the decision to move the Chief Minister's Office was a matter for Vijay to decide and that there was no reason to object to it.
However, Velu said reports of irregularities in the tender process needed clarification from the government. He alleged that the tender had not been floated online and questioned why it was invited after work on the office had already begun.
Velu also said the DMK had no objection to Vijay shifting his office, noting that Namakkal Kavingar Maaligai was a building constructed during the tenure of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
TVK Rejects Allegations
Tamil Nadu minister Aadhav Arjuna rejected the allegations and described the reports as false. He said Vijay wanted to ensure that his officers and staff had adequate working space, claiming that some employees were currently working in areas measuring less than 100 square feet.
Arjuna said the proposed relocation was intended to provide a more comfortable workspace and would initially be temporary. He also described Vijay as a flexible and grounded leader, saying that even during election campaigns, he was comfortable staying in basic accommodation or a vehicle.
Arjuna further claimed that former chief ministers M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa had also wanted to establish a new secretariat but were unable to do so because of political circumstances.