Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 21 : Actress Kasthuri Shankar came out in support of Chief Minister Vijay and his newly formed government in Tamil Nadu, stating that criticism from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) should be viewed as a sign that Vijay is moving in the right direction politically.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, the actress defended the functioning of the Vijay-led administration and urged the public to give the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government adequate time to settle into governance.
Kasthuri also referred to administrative changes and the induction of first-time legislators, saying the new dispensation should be allowed time to learn and adapt.
"If the DMK criticises, then you should take it that Vijay is doing good governance. TASMAC shops closing is a good sign. Shops are closed in many areas. We should support Vijay by giving him some time. Officers may change, and many MLAs are new; they will learn very shortly. Udhayanidhi Stalin will be screaming for another 5 years. People switching to other parties is not new. When the AIADMK won, many changed to other parties. It's all a part of politics", she said.
Her remarks come amid continuing political exchanges between the TVK and opposition parties following the formation of the Vijay-led coalition government in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, TVK Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Wednesday said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay wants the state cabinet to function "like one family" and ensure representation for alliance partners that supported the coalition government during the trust vote in the Assembly.
"The Chief Minister wants the cabinet to function like one family. The Chief Minister wants the parties that extended support to be represented in the cabinet," Arjuna said.
On cabinet expansion, he added, "Our alliance remains intact. The Chief Minister will announce it soon."
Arjuna also criticised both the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the AIADMK, alleging that the two parties attempted to form an alliance contrary to the public mandate after the Assembly elections.
"DMK and AIADMK attempted to form an alliance that went against the people's verdict. DMK and AIADMK jointly tried to bring about President's Rule," he alleged.
The Vijay-led TVK government had earlier won the floor test in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly with 144 votes in favour, receiving support from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK, IUML and expelled AMMK MLA S Kamaraj.