EPS, AIADMK members held for staging protest; OPS attends Assembly
The AIADMK presented itself as a divided house today (October 19), as former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam attended the three-day Assembly session, while the leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, staged a protest outside demanding that the Speaker de-recognise his rival as the deputy floor leader of the party.
The principal Opposition had boycotted the last day of the three-day Assembly session today wanting the Assembly Speaker to accept the party’s R B Udayakumar as the new deputy floor leader. They wanted Panneerselvam, who has been removed from the party, to be replaced with Udayakumar.
Clad in black shirts and white dhotis, the AIADMK members gathered in large numbers at the historic Valluvar Kottam in Chennai to stage a fast to demand that Udayakumar be allotted Panneerselvam’s chair in the Assembly.
They raised slogans denouncing the ruling DMK. The party’s women cadres turned up for the agitation wearing black sarees. The police however detained Palaniswami, who is AIADMKs interim general secretary, along with his party members for staging a fast agitation without police permission.
As a result, hundreds of agitating members were shifted to the Rajarathinam stadium before being released. Speaking to reporters at the stadium, Palaniswami alleged the “murder of democracy” and accused TN CM M K Stalin of attempting to demolish the AIADMK through Panneerselvam.
Also read: Ascent of EPS in AIADMK and BJP’s wait-and-watch games
When the police objected to the AIADMK leader giving bytes to the media, a visibly annoyed Palaniswami raised his voice against the police. Immediately, the party members shouted at the police and Palaniswami had to restrain the AIADMK members.
Further, Palaniswami said they will continue the agitation till Udayakumar is accepted by the Assembly Speaker and made to occupy Panneerselvam’s chair. “The Speaker (M Appavu) says Panneerselvam continues to be the deputy floor leader. This is injustice and biased, as Panneerselvam has been expelled from the party three months ago,” asserted Palaniswami.
Even the three legislators who supported Panneerselvam have been removed from the AIADMK and the party’s general council elected former state minister R B Udayakumar as deputy floor leader, he said.
Also read: Jayalalithaa’s death: Panel says Sasikala, doctor, others at fault
“Normally, the Chief Minister or leader of the Opposition is decided by the respective party MLAs and not the Assembly. The Chief Minister would forfeit his position if a majority of party MLAs withdraw support and the same yardstick applies to the deputy floor leader,” Palaniswami argued.
Palaniswami and the MLAs supporting him, skipped the first day of the Assembly session on Monday to participate in the party’s foundation day celebrations. Panneerselvam who attended the Assembly had celebrated the day separately with his supporters. On Tuesday, Palaniswami and his party MLAs were evicted from the Assembly House for causing a commotion over seating arrangement.
