CM wins battle, Stalin declares war

Trouble began soon after the Assembly convened when the Chief Minister moved a resolution seeking to prove his group’s majority. The DMK and Congress MLAs demanded that the floor test be conducted through secret ballot. Besides, DMK, IUML, Congress and O Panneerselvam’s AIADMK MLAs sought the Speaker to postpone the floor test by a week, and allow MLAs to vote after they visited their constituencies. Speaker Dhanapal refused to entertain any of their demands. 

Even as he was speaking, Opposition leader MK Stalin intervened and said that AIADMK “whip” S Semmalai (appointed by OPS group) should be allowed to speak and pointed out that MLAs were brought to the Assembly like prisoners. When Mylapore MLA R Natraj said “MLAs should vote according to their conscience and the mind set of their voters” Speaker Dhanapal interjected “are you running the Assembly or am I?” 

It was then that the bedlam ensued, and DMK members trooped to the well of the House and engaged in continuous slogan shouting against the Speaker. When the Speaker’s lectern was overturned, DMK MLAs grabbed and pulled him following which he was escorted out by the marshals. Thousand lights MLA Ku Ka Selvam then occupied the Speaker’s chair when the House was adjourned to 1 pm. In the melee, papers on Assembly secretary AMP Jamaludeen’s desk were torn and thrown while some members even clambered on to the tables of the ruling party. 

Later, Stalin met Dhanapal in his chamber the latter said “I am conducting the Assembly according to rules, but they pulled my shirt and insulted me” referring to DMK party legislators for which Stalin expressed regret. 

When the House met again, the continued chaos resulted in Dhanapal ordering eviction of DMK MLAs which could not be ensured due to the limited number of marshalls present then. However, MRK Panneerselvam, MLA was evicted and M Subramaniam, Rajendran and Sekar Babu who went out were not allowed back and hence sat in dharna at Gate 4. Following this the House was adjourned till 3 pm. By then, more marshalls were now available and when the pandemonium continued, all DMK MLAs were evicted. In solidarity with the DMK, Congress MLAs too walked out as their demand for secret ballot and floor test after four days was not heeded. 

Following their departure, Speaker Dhanapal conducted the floor test and announced that CM Edappadi Palanisamy had won 122 to 11.