TN Assembly ruckus: Speaker orders eviction of EPS, AIADMK MLAs

CHENNAI: Speaker Appavu on Tuesday ordered the eviction of Tamil Nadu Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami and other AIADMK MLAs amid a ruckus in the Assembly. The opposition leaders continued to create a ruckus even after the eviction orders.

"No one has any right to demand where one should be seated inside the assembly," Speaker Appavu said. He added that tomorrow the AIADMK members can attend assembly sessions but not today. The Speaker had given assurance that he will give time after Question Hour to raise the issue of seating arrangement for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. As per the present seating arrangement, both EPS and O Paneerselvam (OPS) sit in the front row together in their capacity as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Deputy LoP respectively.

"Before today's assembly session Edappadi Palaniswami and some MLAs met me in my room. They gave four letters to me which they have already sent to me. At the same time regarding AIADMK election case is going on in the Supreme Court. Both EPS and OPS expressed their side to me. But only the Speaker has the right to decide," Appavu said.

Addressing a press conference afterwards, EPS said: "Over 60 MLAs from the AIADMK do not want OPS to be the Deputy Leader of Opposition. We had given representations to the Speaker on the same. It has been two months since we requested the Speaker to remove OPS from the position but no changes have been made and OPS continues to be the Deputy Leader of the Opposition."

EPS alleged that "We are not being given chance to speak about this in the Assembly. It seems that the Speaker is acting on the suggestion of the DMK. OPS is someone who has been removed from primary membership of ADMK." Earlier on October 17, when the Monsoon Session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly began, EPS remained absent.

As per sources, he "boycotted" the Assembly session because rival faction leader OPS was made to sit as the Assembly Deputy Opposition Leader Chair, sources said. The former Chief Minister OPS was seen participating in the proceedings of the House seated in the chair for AIADMK deputy floor leader. Addressing mediapersons after the session, OPS said, "We are attending the assembly session today as AIADMK MLAs. You should ask the EPS faction why they did not attend the assembly session."

Earlier on July 11, in the General Council meeting convened, EPS was elected as the interim General Secretary of the party. Before the meeting, supporters of both rival factions clashed outside the party headquarters. Following the violent clash, the headquarters was seized by the Revenue Divisional Officer. The August 17 judgement by a single bench of Justice G Jayachandran had nullified the July 11 meeting and ordered status quo, as prior to July 11. EPS camp then challenged the single bench judgement to a division bench of Madras High Court which ruled in favour of EPS. Both factions of the AIADMK have urged the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu to identify them as real AIADMK. The matter is pending in the Supreme Court.