Stalin urges HC to check CM, direct new, secret ballot

After a brief political drama in Tamil Nadu’s legislation, newly sworn-in Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami won the vote of confidence in the state assembly on Saturday.

According to Stalin, the AIADMK legislators belonging to the VK Sasikala camp, who were allegedly held hostage at a beach resort, were brought to the assembly “under tight security and they appeared to be under constant threat”. He was arrested from Marina where he was sitting in protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue. An order to allot Rs 85 crore for constructing 5,000 houses for fishermen was also signed by the new CM.

Asked about the allegation of Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal that he was targeted by the DMK members because he was a Dalit, Mr. Stalin said it was shameful that he had invoked his caste identity. Later, in the voting, M Palaniswamy’s confidence motion got 122 votes in favour and 11 against.

Referring to the eviction of DMK members from the Assembly on February 18 Stalin said all the opposition parties wanted the Speaker hold a secret ballot to decide on the confidence motion moved by Palaniswami.

As the AIADMK lawmakers supporting Chief Minister Palaniswami remained silent, the DMK legislators surrounded Dhanapal shouting slogans.

Earler in the day, Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao met with three groups of visitors at the Raj Bhavan. A DMK MLA briefly occupied the Speaker’s chair even as others were flinging papers in the air.

Showing strong resentment against Palanisamy being chosen as the Chief Minister, Stalin said had there been a secret ballot, the verdict would have not been the same.

The assembly was adjourned twice on Saturday, once at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m.

DMK’s M.K. Stalin questioned the haste in which the ballot was being done.

This irked the Opposition members and they kicked up a persistent uproar as the voting was in progress.

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