Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, agreed to consider the AIADMK’s request to allocate the seat of Deputy Leader in the Assembly to R.B. Udhayakumar. The seat has so far been occupied by the AIADMK’s expelled coordinator, O. Panneerselvam.
The Speaker made the announcement after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin requested him to kindly reconsider his decision on the issue and to allot the seat to Mr Udhayakumar, who has been elected as the Deputy Leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party, headed by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
During the Zero Hour, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami raised the issue in the House reiterating his party’s demand to allot the seat next to him to Mr. Udhayakumar, which he said, has been a tradition. Mr. Panneerselvam was not present in the House on Tuesday.
The CM joined the issue to recall that the Speaker had cited the verdict of former Speaker P. Dhanapal that it was the prerogative of the Chair to allot the location of the seat to any member of the House, and no seat was reserved for the Deputy Leader of Opposition, as the post was not a “recognised one”. “However, I request the Speaker as my right to reconsider his decision,” the CM said.
The Chair said: “The Chief Minister has requested for reconsidering the decision. Suitable action will be taken.” Soon after the Chair’s words, AIADMK legislators were seen shaking hands with Mr. Udhayakumar.
