Tamil Nadu Assembly: Row over CM's office relocation tender

Tensions flared in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday over the planned relocation of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's office to a modern building within the Secretariat complex. Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna asserted that the move was not driven by "personal luxury."

The controversy erupted after the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) raised concerns about alleged irregularities in a ₹5.54 crore tender issued for shifting the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The DMK pointed out that the tender notification was published on August 13 but uploaded to the official website four days later, on August 17, with the amount initially marked as "NA."

DMK leader EV Velu, referencing the legacy of past chief ministers like Jayalalithaa and MGR who worked from the current office in Fort St George, questioned the necessity of the move. He highlighted that the current office, built by the British, had housed significant policy decisions for Tamil Nadu's welfare. Velu expressed personal happiness, however, that the new office is in a building constructed by former CM Kalaignar.

Minister Arjuna defended the government's decision, emphasizing that the relocation was a practical necessity. The CMO is currently housed in the main block of Fort St George, sharing space with the Legislative Assembly. The proposed move is to the adjoining Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai building, also within the Secretariat complex. The DMK leader also conveyed concerns from Secretariat staff who reportedly worried about losing space for rest and dining due to the CMO's expansion.

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When there is a room from which so many schemes were implemented, I am personally happy that our brother, the chief minister, is moving to a room built by Kalaignar. The present room was built by the British, while the room to which the chief minister is moving was built by a Tamil.