AIADMK veteran MLA S.Semmalai on Thursday said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has “both spine and brain” to protect the interests of the state.

Participating in the debate on budget, he said Mr Palaniswami’s victory in getting permission for jallikattu had proved that he had spine. [The permission was granted during the Chief Ministership of O Panneerselvam.]

“Creating 7.5% horizontal reservation for the [NEET qualified] government school students in medial courses explains he acted smartly with his brain,” he said.

Reacting to the claim of former Union Minister P. Chidambaram that Cauvery-Gundar linking project was planned during Kamaraj regime and DMK’s assertion that it was a brainchild of M. Karunanidhi, Mr Semmalai said it became a reality only by the efforts of Mr Palaniswami.

He also rejected the allegations of the opposition that the Chief Minister just laid foundations for the projects and there was no follow up. “The inauguration of Asia’s largest cattle park in Thalaivasal in one year after the foundation was laid speaks for his achievement,” he said.