Vijayakanth loses temper at media

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Leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly and DMDK founder A. Vijayakanth on Saturday lost his cool and threatened journalists at the airport.

Vijayakanth and his wife Premalatha were at Chennai airport to board a flight to Madurai along with party legislators and cadres where reporters asked him for his reaction on four Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) legislators meeting Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalithaa.

DMDK legislators R. Sundarrajan, representing Madurai Central seat, and K. Tamil Azhagan from Tittagudi constituency had met Jayalalithaa at the state secretariat Friday.

On Saturday, S. Michael Rayappan from Radhapuram constituency and C.Arun Pandian from Peravurani constitutency met Jayalalithaa her Poes Garden residence.

Dismissing the question as a non-issue, Vijayakanth said: "There are bigger issues in the state like severe power cuts, spread of dengue and others."

Vijayakanth then started shouting at a reporter who had questioned him earlier and vented his ire at the media. A party member is alleged to have attacked the reporter.

Chennai Press Club and Chennai Union of Journalists condemned the incident and demanded action against Vijayakanth.

The attack on the media is a challenge to the freedom of press, the Chennai Press Club said in a statement, and demanded that Vijayakanth tender an apology.