O Panneerselvam seeks date for fresh trust vote

The DMK party, headed by M.K. Stalin was holding a protest at Chennai’s Marina Beach following the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Edappadi K. Palanisamy won vote of confidence in floor test.

As soon as the crucial session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly which was to decide the fate of Palaniswamy-led government commenced at 11 am, the Opposition demanded to hold the trust vote on another day and allow secret ballot. DMK working president M K Stalin has alleged that the MLAs supporting Palaniswami were brought to the House from a resort like inmates.

As the assembly session began, the floor witnessed ruckus and sloganeering after Palaniswamy moved the motion to seek confidence of the House.

Amidst violence, Speaker has left the Assembly and adjourned it. This would forms part of the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan records since he may not be have the additional responsibility as acting Governor for long.

The DMK MLAs stay put and were forcibly evicted by Assembly Marshals.

Leader of Opposition MK Stalin and OPS have demanded Speaker for a secret ballot. This is the first time In 29 years that the Tamil Nadu Assembly goes for trust vote. The trust vote was halted amid the chaos and the House adjourned till 3 pm.

After hectic discussions at Panneerselvam’s residence on the morning of February 17, a small group of AIADMK leaders met the speaker in the secretariat and demanded a secret ballot.

Palaniswami later won the vote with the support of 122 legislators, six more than the 116 he needed. He also alleged that the Speaker’s sole aim was to announce the chief minister’s success in getting the trust vote even as the Opposition remained absent.

Panneerselvam, who had claimed he was forced to resign as chief minister, had met the governor twice earlier during the month. “The speaker was not mindful of his neutral position and he was bent upon favouring one faction of the ruling party, with ulterior motive”, Stalin said in a memorandum submitted to the governor. He said he was unhappy with Sasikala and her family members taking control of the AIADMK.