- Tender for 3,000-litre tank in Thoothukudi scrapped after DMK alleges irregularities
- Tender floated on May 18, closed in six hours, awarded next day, raising criticism
- Two officials suspended; investigation ordered into the tender process
A political row has broken out in Tamil Nadu with the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam scrapping a government tender hours after the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alleged irregularities. A Rs 16.83 lakh tender to construct a 3,000-litre overhead tank in a village in Thoothukudi district was closed May 19. But the unusual timeline prompted criticism.
The rules stated that contractors should have access to tender details from May 13. However, the tender was only floated at 9 am May 18 and it closed in six hours - at 3 pm. The tender was awarded at 4 pm the next day. Following outcry and criticism, the tender was scrapped for 'administrative reasons' and two officials were suspended pending investigation.
The DMK - removed from power by the TVK in last month's election - launched a sharp attack on the TVK, claiming the faulty process was designed to benefit a certain company. Senior leader Amutharasan demanded to know how any company could realistically prepare a Detailed Project Report and complete all procedural formalities within six hours.
A screenshot of the scrapped tender's details
"This is not administrative speed... this is pre-planned contract politics! Minister N Anand (the TVK leader who holds the Rural Development and Water Resources ministries) ... why is there a need to take such urgent action on the first day? Or is this a 'stamp of authority' on an already-decided contract? You - who came to get the votes of the people of T Nagar (the Assembly seat Anand won in last month's election), are you doing 'crisis tender' politics instead of 'honesty'?"
This is the second major bump Chief Minister Joseph Vijay's government has faced since taking charge; the first was fallout over the appointment of an astrologer as an Officer on Special Duty. The nomination was criticised by the opposition.
The TVK initially pointed out the astrologer - Radhan Pandit Vetrivel - was appointed as a spokesperson and that his profession had no bearing on his post. Eventually, though, the party removed him from the post.
RECAP | Vijay Removes Astrologer As Officer On Special Duty After Criticism
Meanwhile, Vijay's TVK has also won praise in its early days. The new government has been widely congratualted for an order shutting state-run TASMAC liquor shops within 500 metres of educational institutions, bus stands, and places of worship.
