Chennai: Under attack from the opposition DMK accusing it of betraying Tamil Nadu’s interest by backing the Narendra Modi government that had gone against the state interest on several issues, the AIADMK on Saturday justified its vote against the TDP motion saying that a government elected by the people for five years must serve its mandate.
Lok Sabha deputy speaker and senior AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai told reporters at the Chennai airport here on Saturday that the AIADMK took a consensus decision that in a democracy the people voted for a government for a term of five years and this should be honoured. “People are the real masters, and they gave a clear mandate to the Modi government. Already the BJP government has completed four years in office and with the Lok Sabha election fast approaching, it is not appropriate to vote against the people’s wishes. We should respect the people’s feelings,” he said.
He also sought to know why the opposition parties showed such haste in attempting to bring down a duly elected government. Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, also expressed in similar vein.
When sought for his comments, DMK spokesperson and party MP T. K. S. Elangovan said, “he is now talking about people’s mandate for the government to complete the full term in office. Thambidurai should have given this advice to late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa when A. B. Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and thereby ensured Vajpayee completed his term in office. Then, Thambidurai, who without studying law, was the law minister, was only concerned over ensuring that the cases filed against his party leader were withdrawn.”
