Edappadi Palaniswami wins floor test

The AIADMK government led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami proved its majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, winning 122 votes in favour and 11 against following the eviction of DMK MLAs and walkout of Congress and IUML members.

The 11 members who voted against the government belonged to the rebel AIADMK including former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, former School Education Minister K. Pandiarajan, MLAs Semmalai and R. Natraj.

After the House was adjourned for a second time at 1 p.m, the marshals forcibly evicted all DMK members by bodily lifting. Leader of Opposition and DMK working president M K Stalin was seen feverishly slapping his head and screaming while being bodily lifted out. Mr Stalin’s shirt was found torn.

Once all the DMK legislators were evicted, the eight Congress MLAs and the lone IUML member walked out.

The House had to be adjourned twice following violence by the DMK members, who wanted Speaker P. Dhanapal either to adjourn the trust vote or opt for a secret ballot.

Mr Panneerselvam, Congress leader K.R. Ramasamy, IUML member Aboobucker and Mr Natraj also made similar demand.

But Speaker P. Dhanapal made it clear that he would abide by the Assembly Rules 19 (1) and conduct the voting, even though Mr Stalin argued that he could adjourn the proceedings under rule 122 of the House.

“Even if the DMK members and others were in the House, the government would have won the majority,” said Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, who conducted the confidence vote moved by Chief Minister Palaniswami.

The Speaker opted for division method for voting and the entire House was divided into six blocks. After the bell rang three times, Assembly secretary A.M.P. Jamaludeen called members of the block one by one. First he counted those who supported the government and followed it by those who are opposed to the confidence vote. Thirdly, he ascertained those who sought to remain neutral. No members took a neutral position.