Chennai, Aug 15 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his Cabinet colleagues will attend the tea party to be hosted by state Governor RN Ravi on Thursday evening as part of Independence Day celebrations.

TN Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu said this while interacting with media persons in his office on Thursday.

He said that the Chief Minister and other ministers would attend the tea party respecting the institution of the Governor.

Thenarasu said, “On behalf of the government, we have decided to accept the Governor’s invitation and will attend the Independence Day party.”

There was speculation that the Chief Minister and his Ministers would boycott the Governor’s function.

It may be recalled that the DMK Organising Secretary, RS Bharathi had called for the boycott of the ‘At Home Reception’ by the Governor.

However, he had mentioned that the official decision on participation by the government would be communicated by the Chief Minister.

The Tamil Nadu Congress has also announced that it would be boycotting the party hosted by Governor Ravi.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President, K Selvaperunthugai, in a statement on Wednesday had said that the party would boycott the tea party as the Governor had consistently been trying to obstruct the functioning of the democratically-elected Tamil Nadu government.

He said Governor Ravi had shown scant regard and respect for the state government and had been continuously disregarding the recommendations of the Stalin government.

He said that this was in total defiance of Article 163 of the Constitution of India which states that the Governor of the State must act in accordance with the aid and advise of the Council of Ministers.