Chennai: There was uproar and commotion in the Legislative Assembly yesterday over the issue of AIADMK MLAs resigning. At that time, TVK and AIADMK members engaged in a heated debate.
In the Legislative Assembly yesterday, former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami spoke during the debate on the General Budget and the Agriculture Budget. The discussion that took place was as follows:
Former Chief Minister Palaniswami: In the past three months, the notable achievement of the TVK government has been nothing more than striking some deal and buying over some parties and party members. This is the great achievement of this government.
Minister ஆதவ் Arjuna: We have an understanding with the AIADMK government that existed before 2017. That was Jayalalithaa’s government. But after 2017, we do not have an understanding with the AIADMK government under your leadership. That is not Jayalalithaa’s government.
As long as Jayalalithaa was there, NEET did not come, CAA did not come. That is why our leader called you a water-downed government. If there had been trust in you, your members would not have needed to resign and join TVK.
It is only because AIADMK supporters, having lost faith in your leadership, have completely walked away that MGR’s loyalists and Jayalalithaa’s loyalists are now working together in TVK. Calling it a bargain is wrong. It is natural for members to lose faith in the party leadership, resign, and join another party.
Minister C.T. Nirmalkumar: This is not a Koovathur. They voluntarily resigned and joined our party. No Koovathur incident took place here (At that time, AIADMK members including Mukkur Subramanian and Agri Krishnamurthy, who were seated in the front row, stood up from their seats and raised a protest against the ministers’ speech, shouting.
In response, TVK members seated in the opposite row also stood up and shouted. As a result, there was uproar and commotion in the assembly.
Speaker of the House J.C.D. Prabhakar: In the past 45 minutes, former Chief Minister Palaniswami calmly spoke about the achievements of his administration. Some of the points he made at the end have given the ruling party members a chance to speak.
I know that the two parties (DMK and AIADMK) are speaking together. Please, members, go and sit in your respective seats.
DMK Whip E.V. Velu: There is no need for the two of us to speak together on the horse-trading issue. We have the status of the opposition party.
We have acted neutrally. That is our protection. We are the ruling party. The AIADMK is also a ruling party. It is a party that has planned to come to power next time.
Minister Rajmohan: We are ready to face constructive, healthy criticism.
Palaniswami: AIADMK workers are furious to see someone contesting on behalf of the AIADMK, winning, then resigning and joining another party.
About 6,000 people work hard to win in a constituency. DMK and AIADMK were not together even during your time (when the Speaker was in AIADMK).
Now they are not together during our time either. It is wrong for the Speaker to say that we are working together.
Speaker: There was no wrong meaning in saying that the two of you are working together. There was no hidden intention either. The debate went on like this.
