"Definitely, a Chief Minister should come and inspect the spot where such an incident occured. A Chief Minister should take steps to identify those involved in it. It is painful to note that Chief Minister (Jayalalithaa) has gone to Kodanad to take rest," he told reporters here after visiting the injured victims at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
"The state government must bear full responsibility for the blasts," he said.
Observing that the Central and State Governments should coordinate to prevent such incidents, he lambasted the Tamil Nadu Government for adopting "an antagonistic approach" towards the Centre.
On May 2, Jayalalithaa had rejected the charge that her government had refused Centre's offer for a NIA probe, saying a middle-level officer from Union Home Department had contacted the state Home Secretary and offered to send bomb detection and disposal equipment and squad, to which he had replied that assistance would be sought if needed.
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The next day, the nonagenarian leader had hit back over her criticism of his handling of the serial blasts and wondered why she was singling him out when other political leaders had issued statements on the twin blasts.
He pointed out he had contacted then Prime Minister, the late I K Gujral who had promised all aid to his state. The next day he had visited that city, met the injured and consoled them, besides announcing cash relief to the dead and injured.