COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani on Wednesday refuted allegations that he had threatened tha Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to set up a Defence Innovation Centre in the city.

Replying to a specific question from reporters that a  State BJP functionary had recently alleged that Velumani had threatened the Union Minister setting up the Centre for the benefit of MSMEs, Velumani denied the allegation.

Velumani said that BJP leaders like its State unit General Secretary Vanathi Srinivasan was aware that the Government has given pressure to set up a centre here.

“I have highest regard for Nirmala Sitharaman. Reports about me threatening her are totally false,” Velumani said.

He also denied as baseless the allegations made by former transport minister, Senthil Balaji that some ministers had bought over 1,000 bus routes.