Stormy budget session on March 16

Vote on Account for the year and Final Supplementary Estimates for 2016-17 will be presented on Thursday, March 23, 2016. 

The finance portfolio earlier held by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has now been given to Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar who will have his work cut out to ensure that the first budget he presents does not run into problems. 

The session will also see debates on the demand for grants to various departments. The long session is also likely to see intense debates as this is the first time that Palanisamy will meet rival faction members face to face after last month’s controversial vote of confidence. 

A resurgent DMK with a host of issues to pull up the government on, including the current agitations at Rameswaram, Neduvasal and Tirunelveli, will be baying for Palanisamy’s blood. But what would see tempers flying will be references to Jayalalithaa’s death on which former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam — who has demanded central government supervised enquiry — is likely to be helped by DMK.