Minority govt: AIADMK, DMK lock horns

Speaking on the motion thanking the Governor for his address in the Assembly, Anbazhagan cited the Election Commission verdict in the “Two Leaves” case and said the AIADMK has 111 MLAs only and it is a minority regime. 

Intervening in the debate, state Electricity Minister P Thangamani said, “The Speaker had already notified vacancy in 18 constituencies following the disqualification of MLAs and the AIADMK regime has the required numbers to be a majority. It will not become a minority government. Only the 2006-11 DMK regime was a minority one.” 

Not content with the reply, the DMK legislator from Chepauk said the case pertaining to the disqualification of the 18 MLAs would end in a month and they would come to know which government was a minority. “Are you the judge? How do you predict the outcome of the case? We do not bother about the verdict,” the Minister shot back before adding that their late leader Jayalalithaa has given them the courage to handle such cases. Just when the minority issue was put to rest, Anbazhagan stirred another controversy by making a controversial remark, which was eventually expunged by Speaker P Dhanapal, who not only cautioned the MLA about his choice of subject and vocabulary but also abruptly wound up his speech. Protesting the Speaker’s action, Opposition DMK members vainly demanded that the Chair allow their MLA to continue. 

DMK legislators staged a walk out after the Speaker refused to oblige.  Anbazhagan, who has the uncanny knack of getting on the nerves of the treasury benches, has always kept the Speaker Dhanapal on the edge. It was no exception on Tuesday when ‘Anbu’ jabbed at the ruling dispensation in his inimitable style, prompting more than a few interventions from the minister and the CM.  

On a couple of instances, from his own legislature party leader MK Stalin too, who had to clarify his MLA’s line of argument. Noticeably, the DMK MLA on Tuesday also spared time for humour, courtesy the Speaker who responded in kind. Anbazhagan said, “You (Speaker) are already sick. Don’t get tense. You expunge whatever you like. I will continue. Take good care of your health.”  An equally sarcastic Dhanapal responded saying; “I am fine. Big thanks for your concern.”