Vijay Plans Office Shift To Namakkal Kavingar Maaligai, BJP Flags Tender Issues
Vijay’s office shift plan faces BJP allegations over tender irregularities.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s plan to temporarily shift the Chief Minister’s Office from Fort St. George to Namakkal Kavingar Maaligai in Chennai has triggered a political dispute, with the BJP alleging irregularities in the tender process. The proposed relocation is intended to provide additional workspace for the Chief Minister’s officers and staff, with construction work reportedly already underway.
The Tamil Nadu government recently floated a tender worth around Rs 5.5 crore for the proposed shifting of the office. BJP leader CR Kesavan alleged that the tender was issued nearly a month after construction work had already begun. He described the development as the first major corruption allegation against the three-month-old TVK government and questioned the transparency of the tendering process.
Kesavan also referred to reports alleging multiple discrepancies in the tender process. He questioned how the government could claim transparency in public tenders if work had allegedly started before the tender was issued. The BJP leader argued that the issue had assumed significance because the TVK government had been in office for only around 100 days and had made transparency a key part of its governance message.
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DMK MLA EV Velu also sought clarification from the government over the reported irregularities. Velu maintained that the Chief Minister’s decision to shift his office was a personal choice but argued that allegations surrounding the tender needed to be addressed. He also pointed to reports claiming that the tender had not been floated online and that the tendering process began after work had already started at the proposed office location.
Tamil Nadu minister Aadhav Arjuna rejected the allegations and described the reports as false. He explained that the Chief Minister’s current office space was inadequate for his officers and staff, with some personnel working in an area of less than 100 square feet. According to Arjuna, the proposed relocation is temporary and aimed at providing a more functional working environment. He also pointed to the age of the existing administrative setup, arguing that the office infrastructure needs to be updated.
Arjuna assured that the tender process would remain transparent and that the government would prevent any loss to the state exchequer. He also referred to earlier attempts by former chief ministers M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa to establish a new secretariat, saying political circumstances had prevented those plans from being realised. The controversy is now centred on whether the government followed due process in awarding the Rs 5.5-crore tender, with the Opposition seeking clarification and the government defending the proposed relocation.
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