Reaching out to the Opposition, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said she would have provided a front row seat to MK Stalin at her swearing-in ceremony, had officials brought it to her notice that the DMK Treasurer would be attending the event.

In a statement, she said the Public Relations Department followed the protocol manual in allocating a seat to Stalin.

Stalin was seated in the 13th row. DMK President and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had termed this an “insult” to Stalin and the DMK. He had said Stalin was made to sit ‘among the crowd’ even as a losing candidate and AIADMK ally, R Sarath Kumar, was allotted a seat in the front row.

Thanking Stalin for attending the event, Jayalalithaa said, “I understand that Stalin was seated in the block of seats intended for Members of the Legislative Assembly. If this seating plan caused him any discomfiture, I would like to assure him that there was no intent to show disrespect to him or his party.

“Had the officers brought to my notice that Stalin would be attending the event, I would have instructed the officers in charge of the arrangements to provide him a seat in the first row, relaxing the norms in the Protocol Manual...I convey my good wishes to him and look forward to working with his Party for the betterment of the State,” she said.

AIADMK and DMK leaders meeting each other at public functions or exchanging pleasantries are rare.

Read the statement here

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