None can question Speaker’s powers: Ramachandran

The AIADMK leader made this statement in reply to the DMK’s claim that the recent assembly incidents was the ‘murder of democracy.” 

Opining that conducting secret ballot to find out majority was unconstitutional, Ramachandran said that such a process could not be done as it would work against the anti-defection law.

Accusing the DMK of attempting to destabilise the government, the AIADMK said the Speaker took the necessary action going by the situation in the House on that day. “Some diseases can be cured with medicine and some with surgery; the Speaker undertook surgery,” he said with reference to the assembly incidents. 

On police being brought inside the assembly, he said it was not wrong as a similar incident occurred in 1988 also. 

When asked about MLAs supporting Edapadi K Palanisamy kept in resorts at Koovathur and not allowed to visit their constituencies, he said, if they were allowed to visit their constituencies, they would have been kidnapped by those belonging to the rival group. 

Regarding the legal position of MLAs supporting Paneerselvam, he said action would soon be taken against them. 

Meanwhile, in Coimbatore, Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development S.P. Velumani said that the 122 All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs were united to defeat the attempts of the DMK to save the government and the party. 

Addressing reporters after a consultative meeting with party functionaries and cadre at the party’s district head office Idhaya Deivam Maaligai on Wednesday, he said that the DMK tried to come to power through the back door, but the units of AIADMK MLAs foiled all their attempts. 

The minister alleged that the Leader of the Opposition and DMK working president along with his party MLAs resorted to unruly behaviour inside the House. 

He added that Stalin later tore his shirt and appeared before the media to draw attention. 

The Municipal Administration Minister said that their party MLAs would strive hard to be in power for the next four-and-a-halfyears and invite those who are not with them to come back. 

Stating that most of the abusive and threat calls received by AIADMK MLAs supporting Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy were from DMK men, he alleged the role of Stalin’s son-in-law Sabarish behind such tactics. He added that they have made a note of all the numbers and have lodged complaints against them through the party head office.