Polls in Bengal, Tamil Nadu cast shadow on MPs' attendance in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal and the forthcoming polls in Tamil Nadu led to thin attendance in the opposition benches in Lok Sabha on Monday with literally no AIADMK MPs and a handful of Trinamool Congress members being present in the House.

While the seats belonging to 37 AIADMK MPs were completely empty, a few MPs of the 34-member-strong Trinamool Congress that included Ratna De Nag were seen attending the Lok Sabha proceedings on the first day of the session.

BJP MP from Tamil Nadu and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan and party MP from West Bengal and Union Minister Babul Supriyo were also not seen in the House during Question Hour.

While the six-phase Assembly election is underway in West Bengal, the single-phase Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu will take place on May 16.

However, a sizeable number of MPs from Kerala, where Assembly election is also due on May 16, participated in today's proceedings in Lowe House.