Govt plans review of AIADMK projects; contractors in a fix

CHENNAI: The top contractors in the state who had taken multi-crore projects in local administration, electricity, public works department, state highways and civil’s supplies are now in dilemma with the state mulling cancelling or reviewing the contracts issued during the tenure of former ministers SP Velumani, P Thangamani and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

“The newly transferred officers have been given clear instructions not to encourage contractors with dubious background and political connections.

The CM office is focussed on COVID numbers and the lockdown, once when the state reduces the infections the files related to the contracts and tender violations will be sent for state vigilance department and department audits,” a highly placed official source said pointing out the recent cancellation of a tender worth Rs 566 crore after Arappor Iyakkam NGO alleged that the bidding criteria for the tender was in favour of a specific company or a cartel.

“The DMK had already submitted a memorandum to TN governor Banwarilal Purohit in this regard and action against corrupt Tamil Nadu ministers is one of the poll promises of

DMK. Certainly, Our party leader will allow the vigilance department to have a free and fair enquiry into the tender violations,” an informed DMK legislator told DT Next.

Meanwhile, the opposition AIADMK submitted a complaint to the City Police Commissioner seeking action against miscreants who are spreading messages on social media stating that the leader of the opposition has reached out to Chief Minister MK Stalin seeking not to register or initiate false cases against AIADMK members.

AIADMK legal wing joint secretary RM Babu Murugavel in his complaint letter said miscreants are spreading defamatory contents against the leader of the opposition. In a social media message, the leader of opposition of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami image shows a quote requesting the Chief Minister not to file any false cases against the entire AIADMK members.

This message is widely circulated on WhatsApp and other social media. The social media forward content is objectionable and defamatory targeting the image of the AIADMK party at large, the complaint said seeking action against those people who are spreading the falsehood and the frivolous whatsapp forwards.

After the corona crisis eases in the files related to contracts and projects will be sent to DVAC for scrutiny, sources said