Wait and watch, says Stalin on no-trust move

Leader of Opposition in the House MK Stalin said to reporters after the 13 newly elected DMK MLAs took oath  as members of the Assembly on Tuesday.  

“Wait and see,” was Leader of the Opposition and DMK president Stalin’s reply, when asked whether the DMK would press for  the no-confidence notice given by it against the Assembly Secretary  recently.

He said once the Assembly session dates were announced the DMK’s strategy would be known in the wake of its strength going  up to 101 following its victory in the Assembly bypolls. The swearing-in ceremony of 13 DMK MLAs, who were elected in the recent bypolls,was conducted in the office of Speaker P Dhanapal at the Secretariat.

The 13 new MLAs, including Aravakurichi MLA Senthil Balaji, were administered oath by Dhanapal in the presence of Stalin and other senior DMK leaders. Following the swearing-in ceremony, the names of the MLAs were officially included the in Assembly records and according to sources, all the benefits, including monetary benefits, would commence for the MLAs from Tuesday.

After meeting the Speaker, Stalin while addressing reporters said that the working of DMK as an opposition party will be witnessed directly after the Assembly session had commenced. However, Stalin was non-committal on DMK moving motions against the Speaker. When asked whether DMK will move a no-confidence motion against the state government in the Assembly, Stalin replied that the date for the next Assembly session had not been announced and after it is announced, “We will take a decision on the issue.”

Even before the by-elections for 22 Assembly seats were completed, Dhanapal sent notice to three AIADMK MLAs, Prabhu of Kallakurichi constituency, Rathinasabapathy of Aranthangi constituency and Kalaichelvan of Virudhachalam constituency. After the development, DMK moved a no-confidence motion against Speaker preventing him from taking action against the three MLAs. There were reports that action of Speaker was due to the fear that AIADMK will not get the required number of seats to run the government. But in the by-elections, the AIADMK won nine seats and obtained the required number of seats for ensuring majority in the House.

Following the numbers in the Assembly it is unlikely that Speaker will initiate any action against the three MLAs and so DMK is also unlikely to move the no-confidence motion against the Speaker.

Meanwhile, sources in the Secretariat said that AIADMK government is thinking of removing Dhanapal from the post of Speaker and give him a berth in the Cabinet to prevent DMK from moving a resolution against him. If Dhanapal is removed, DMK has to move another fresh no-confidence motion, added the sources.

The political uncertainty in the state, though has stabilised in favour of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in the recent bypolls, is unlikely to spare the Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal from troubles.

The opposition DMK which has now 101 legislators in the Assembly has already moved a petition to the Assembly secretary seeking a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.

With nine AIADMK MLAs set to take oath on Wednesday and the state is likely to have its Assembly sessions from June 10, more political drama is expected in the floor of the Assembly.

The action against three rebel AIADMK MLAs and no-confidence motion against Speaker are main issues waiting for the upcoming session.

“In the backdrop of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami consolidating the majority for the ruling AIADMK, the trouble is now for Speaker Dhanapal against whom the Opposition is planning for a no-confidence motion, but the AIADMK has numbers in its favour and this attempt by the Opposition will be thwarted,” an AIADMK MLA told DT Next adding that the ruling party was preparing for the ensuing Assembly sessions.

He said that they had been already briefed on the strategies to be worked out by the DMK and they are prepared. “State ministers are also working on their subjects to ensure that the debates and queries raised by the Opposition are replied inside the Assembly hall. The AIADMK, as on date, is the single largest party with 123 MLAs and even after excluding a few rebels, the party will easily sail through any floor test,” the MLA said exuding confidence.

According to the Secretariat sources, the session will focus on grants for the state departments as per the announcements made in the Budget early this year.

Chief Minister Palaniswami had also planned to make announcements under rule 110 of TNAssembly.