New assembly kicks off with a short session to be inaugurated by governor K Rosaiah’s addresss during the course of which he is to announce the new government’s policies and programmes

After her triumphant return to power and a short visit to New Delhii to see a special financial package for Tamil Nadu’s economic development, chief minister J Jayalalithaa is all set to outline her agenda for the next five years Wednesday at the commencement of the new assembly session, scheduled to be inaugurated with Governor’s address.

State governor K Roshaiah would be outlining the government’s priorities and programmes iin his address to the assembly which has the strongest opposition ever, with the runner up party, the DMK ended up with close to 90 seats.

In all the previous elections, the results have been hopelessly one-sided with hardly any opposition. But this time around, the situation is going to be very different with the DMK promising to be a very active and constructive opposition party to keep the ruling AIADMK in check.

The house that had briefly met earlier, after the swearing in of the government for oath-taking by members, the chief minister and opposition leader MK Stalin, treasurer of the DMK, exchanged pleasantries that can be said to augur new beginnings in ruling party and opposition relations, inside and outside the assembly.

The DMK, which very nearly won the polls, but for the chemistry of alliances that left the anti-establishment vote split in different directions resulting in the return of Jayalaliithaa for a second consecutive term, will in all probability be running a shadow government, marking each ministry and department with one heavyweight concentrating on it, for faults and wrong doings.

On her part, Jayalalithaa has also welcome Stalin’s gesture and hoped that the relations between the two regional parti4es would be good and in the overall interest of Tamil Nadu state. Stalin has also reiterated that the focus of his party would be to restore Tamil Nadu to its preeminent position in the industrial space in the country as also ensure that the state remains the top progressive state in the country, on all social and economic parameters.

On Wednesday, after the governor addressed the august gathering, the business advisory committee of the assembly would meet to finalize the duration of the session, which is expected to be a short one. A full-fledged budget session, sources said, would be convened later.

The governor is also expected to outline the economic agenda of the government, which of course would focus on accelerating the growth process, especially in the manufacturing sector that had taken a hit over the past couple of years owing to a host of reasons.

Reopening of the closed Nokia plant through new owners is one of the man component of the state government plan, as per whch the state government has already sought the central government help to restart the closed manufacturing unit, the largest mobile phone manufacturing unit in the country.

Among other steps being planned to shore up the economy include a host of investment attracting activities, the primary one being the active persuasion and perusal of the MOUs signed during the Global Investors Meet held last year, during which proposals worth over Rs two lakh crore of investment was pledged to be made in the state.