CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s outgoing MPs may not have put up the best of performances in the 16th Lok Sabha . A look at the statistics put out by Delhi-based PRS Legislative Research show that on most parameters MPs from the state have performed far below the national average. Tamil Nadu MPs have an average attendance of only 78%, below the national average by 2%. Seventeen of the 40 MPs (including the lone MP from Puducherry) have below par attendance. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss is the worst performer, clocking in just 45% of the attendance. In raising questions and participating in debates too, he has fared poorly because during most of the LS sessions he chose to stay back in his home state. None of the MPs from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has 90% or more attendance. The PRS data relates to the period from June 1, 2014 to February 13, 2019. Statistics show that while members from various states moved close to 1,250 private member bills in the Lok Sabha, no MP from Tamil Nadu moved a bill.Against a national average of 67 debates per member, Tamil Nadu MPs’ average participation was below 47. Thirty-three Tamil Nadu MPs fared below the national average in participation in debates. Puducherry MP R Radhakrishnan of All India NR Congress is the worst performer from the region with participation in just nine debates. Anbumani and Virudhunagar MP T Radhakrishnan, who are among the worst performers, participated in 12 debates each. Tirunelveli MP K R P Prabakaran gives them company with just 13 debates to his credit.In raising questions in the House, however, TN MPs have performed better than their counterparts from other states. Against a national average of 293 questions per MP, Tamil Nadu MPs have raised 453 questions on an average.T Radhakrishnan, Virudhunagar MP, had raised 920 questions in the Lok Sabha, more than three times the national average. S R Vijayakumar, representing Chennai Central is closely behind with 917 questions.

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