ERODE: After thanking the voters in Gobichettipalayam on Thursday evening, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K A Sengottaiyan told reporters that the state government will soon issue identity cards to all school students, and as a first step, they will be issued to students of classes 10 and 12.

“In accordance with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s directive, a decision has been made to issue identity cards to state’s school students. All key information, including the student’s caste certificate details, address, blood group, identification numbers and contact number, will be integrated into this identity card,” he said.

Responding to a query regarding the recent criticism levelled by BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran at the TVK, he said, “Nagenthran, instead of criticising the DMK, is attacking us. The BJP needs to understand one thing. Its vote share has now reduced from 11% to 4%. He needs to understand that.”