During a scuffle in the Assembly, Speaker Appavu ordered the eviction of Tamil Nadu Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami and other AIADMK MLAs.
Even after the eviction orders were issued, the opposition leaders continued to cause a commotion.
“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 has stated that he will allow time following Question Period to address the matter of seating arrangements for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. According to the current sitting arrangement, both EPS and O Paneerselvam (OPS) sit in the front row together as Leader of the 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.”
EPS was not present when the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s Monsoon Session began on October 17. According to sources, he “boycotted” the Assembly session since opposing group leader OPS was forced to sit as Assembly Deputy Opposition Leader Chair.
Former Chief Minister OPS was observed sitting in the chair for AIADMK deputy floor leader during House sessions.
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.”
