The opposition AIADMK on Wednesday painted a picture of contrast with former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam attending the assembly session, while Leader of Opposition K Palaniswami staged a protest here, demanding that the Speaker replace the former as the party’s deputy leader. Recognize in
The principal opposition today boycotted the last day of the three-day session of the Assembly and demanded the Speaker to accept RB Udayakumar of the party as the new deputy floor leader in place of Panneerselvam, who was removed from the party.
AIADMK members, dressed in black shirts and white dhoti, gathered in large numbers at the historic Valluvar Kottam here and vigorously agitated demanding allotment of Panneerselvam’s chair in the assembly to Udayakumar. They raised slogans condemning the ruling DMK. The women workers of the party joined the movement wearing black saris.
The police, however, took AIADMK interim general secretary Palaniswami into custody on charges of fasting along with his party members without the permission of the police. As a result, hundreds of agitating members were shifted to the Rajaratnam Stadium here before being released.
Speaking to reporters at the stadium, Palaniswami accused him of “murdering democracy” and accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of trying to ‘dismantle’ the AIADMK through Panneerselvam.
When the police present on this occasion opposed giving bytes to the media, Palaniswami, who looked angry, raised his voice against the police. Immediately, the party members shouted at the police and Palaniswami had to stop the AIADMK members.
Resuming after a brief interruption, he announced that the agitation would continue until the Speaker accepted Udayakumar and took over Panneerselvam’s chair.
“The Speaker (M Appavu) says that Panneerselvam remains the deputy floor leader. This is injustice and partisan, as Panneerselvam was expelled from the party three months back,” Palaniswami said.
He said three MLAs who supported Panneerselvam have also been dropped from the AIADMK and the party’s general council has elected former state minister RB Udayakumar as deputy leader.
“Normally, the Chief Minister or the Leader of the Opposition is decided by the MLAs of the party concerned and not by the Assembly. If a majority of party MLAs withdraw support and the same criteria applies to the deputy floor leader, the chief minister will lose his post. Palaniswami argued.
Palaniswami and the MLAs who supported him did not go on the first day of the assembly session on Monday to attend the foundation day celebrations of the party. Panneerselvam, who attended the assembly, celebrated the day separately along with his supporters.
On Tuesday, Palaniswami and his party’s MLAs were thrown out of the Assembly for creating a ruckus over the seating arrangement.
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