DMK MLAs Reject Government Cars, Udhayanidhi Cites State's Financial Constraints

Chennai: Leader of the Opposition and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday announced in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly that all 59 DMK MLAs had decided not to avail themselves of the cars proposed to be provided by the State government.

DMK MLAs reject vehicles

The decision came two days after Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced that every MLA would be provided a government car, besides ₹75,000 a month towards maintenance and fuel expenses and ₹25,000 a month for appointing an assistant.

Speaking in the Assembly, Udhayanidhi said the decision was taken on the directions of DMK president M.K. Stalin, citing the financial constraints of the State exchequer that the government itself had highlighted. All DMK MLAs had signed a letter declining the vehicles and submitted it to the government through the Speaker, he said.

Udhayanidhi suggested that government vehicles should instead be provided only to MLAs who genuinely needed them. He proposed that their requirement could be assessed by taking into account the financial status declared by individual MLAs in their election affidavits.

“The government has been saying since it assumed office that there is a severe financial constraint on the exchequer. Our stand is that we do not need a car,” Udhayanidhi said, insisting that the DMK’s decision was not politically motivated.

Debate over MLA facilities

The suggestion triggered a wider debate in the House over whether cars for MLAs should be treated as a facility or a necessity.

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna defended the government’s decision, saying some newly elected MLAs as well as second-time legislators did not own cars. He cited the example of a VCK MLA who was travelling to the Assembly by bus.

The provision of cars was based on the principle that all legislators were equal, Arjuna said, arguing that a vehicle was not a luxury for an MLA but a basic requirement to travel across constituencies and meet people. He added that TVK MLAs who already owned cars would not apply for government vehicles.

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Leaders exchange views

Arjuna also referred to Udhayanidhi’s application for accommodation in a government bungalow despite having “two or three bungalows”. Former Minister K N Nehru (DMK) intervened to say that the Leader of the Opposition enjoyed the rank of a Minister and was therefore entitled to a government bungalow.

CPI MLA T Ramachandran supported the idea of restricting cars to legislators who did not own vehicles, saying his party’s position was that its MLAs did not need government cars.

Minorities Welfare Minister Shahjahan (IUML) recalled that during the tenure of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, cars had been provided to panchayat union chairpersons. Nehru, however, said the responsibilities of MLAs and local body representatives were different.