“I personally called Edappadi K Palaniswami as per instructions from Chief Minister MK Stalin and extended invitation for the centenary function. I informed Palaniswami that he will be seated next to President Ram Nath Kovind and Governor Banwarilal Purohit and will be given a chance to deliver a speech at the function. He assured to inform me about his participationn, but he called Assembly Secretary K Srinivasan and informed him that the AIADMK has decided to boycott the function,” said Duraimurugan at the Secretariat.

AIADMK, which boycotted the centenary function of Tamil Nadu legislature in which the portrait of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was unveiled, justified its stand by stating that the DMK had boycotted the event of unveiling the portrait of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly earlier. So they did not attend the centenary function on August 2.

Duraimurugan said that the reason given by the AIADMK for not participating in the event could not be acceptable as during the portrait unveiling function of Jayalalithaa only invitation was sent to them and AIADMK leaders did not even speak to them.

“We wholeheartedly invited them for the function and wanted them to be present at the venue. But they did not extend the same cordial treatment to us which forced our party to boycott the portrait unveiling function of Jayalalithaa,” the DMK veteran added.