Chennai: Political parties in the state on Saturday vied with each other to grab credit for the announcement of Union coal minister Pralhad Joshi’s announcement, exempting Tamil Nadu from auctioning coal mine blocks.
Industries minister Thangam Thennarasu said it was the pressure by chief minister M K Stalin that led to the Centre’s decision to exempt Tamil Nadu. “Immediately, after the announcement of the coal mining auction, our chief minister wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to provide exemption for Tamil Nadu,” said the minister. The chief minister had also directed DMK Parliamentary party leader T R Baalu to meet Pralhad Joshi and put forth Tamil Nadu’s demand, said Thennarasu. “It is a victory for the chief minister,” he added.
