Tamil Nadu Congress MLA praises Rahul Gandhi during oath, Governor objects
During the oath-taking as state minister, Congress MLA S Rajesh Kumar, while reading out the oath from a paper, suddenly hailed Congress leaders K Kamaraj, Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who swore-in ministers into the TVK Cabinet during its expansion on Thursday, asked Congress leader S Rajesh Kumar to stick to the written oath after the latter deviated.
Arlekar asked Kumar to confine to the written oath given to him after the Congress leader raised slogans hailing his party leaders.
Kumar is the Congress Legislature Party leader representing Killiyoor constituency in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. He was among the 23 MLAs, including 21 from TVK who were inducted into the C Joseph Vijay-led Cabinet on Thursday.
During the oath-taking as state minister at the Lok Bhavan here, Kumar, while reading out the oath from a paper, suddenly hailed Congress leaders Kamaraj, Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, spontaneously prompting the Governor to say "that is not part of your oath".
Immediately, an official approached Kumar and pointed to the written statement placed in front of him. Thereafter, he completed the oath.
Minutes later, the TVK legislator from Salem South, A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, after taking the oath as a minister, hailed party leader and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, present on the dais, saying "vaazhga thalaivar, valarga Tamil" (long live the leader, may Tamil prosper)".
TVK member from Sriperumbudur, Thennarasu, concluded his oath as a minister by saying he would remain loyal to the party leader and the party.