Opposition leader MK Stalin questioned the haste in which the ballot was being done, emphasising upon the importance of democratic means.
Chennai: With DMK and Congress absent from the Tamil Nadu Assembly, new Chief Minister and Sasikala pick Edappadi Palanisamy on Saturday won the vote of confidence, with 122 AIADMK MLAs voting in his favour.
Earlier, as the Tamil Nadu Assembly resumed functioning after getting adjourned over the uproar on the secret ballot, Speaker P Dhanapal ordered the Assembly Police to evict the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLAs from the house.
"You tore my shirt and insulted me. I am doing my work abiding law," Dhanapal was quoted as saying to the MLAs.
The assembly was then adjourned till 3 p.m. - for the second time in the day.
The Tamil Nadu assembly was earlier adjourned till 1 pm after the DMK gheraoed Dhanapal and DMK MLA Ku Ka Selvam sat on the Speaker's chair in protest. They tore papers and threw the chairs, creating a ruckus in the house.
With the assembly facing its first floor test in 30 years, there had been a debate over the ballot with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League having mixed views about the confidence vote.
DMK's MK Stalin questioned the haste in which the ballot was being done. He also emphasised upon the importance of democratic means in the state.
"Democracy will be fullfilled, only when secret ballot voting is done. Floor test should be done on another day. Why the hurry when the Governor has given 15 days time?" Stalin said.
After the victory of Palanisamy in the confidence vote, O Panneerselvam said,"We tried for a secret ballot, but despite our efforts it was not possible."
"When Amma had expelled the members, she had said that she would never allow them into the party
"As they come out of the Assembly, they won't be able to answer questions here as well as to the people," he added.
Speaking of how a secret ballot may have swayed the result in his favour Panneerselvam said, "Even now, if a secret ballot had been held, people who had voted for EPS would have voted against."
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DMK leader MK Stalin was led away from the Assembly, with unbuttoned shirt. He claimed, his shirt was torn off when the Assembly police forcefully evicted his party MLAs.
TN Assembly adjourned till 3 pm
Stalin also accused the officials of meting out 'prisoner-like' treatment to the dignitaries.
"MLAs are being brought to the Secretariat like prisoners," he said.
The DMK is said to have gheraoed Dhanapal, demanding secret ballot. DMK MLA Ku Ka Selvam sat on the Speaker's chair in protest.
Outside the assembly, the DMK MLAs shouted slogans in support of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, even as the MLAs, who back the newly appointed Chief Minister E Palanisamy, raised slogans against the party.
Despite elaborate security arrangements and Speaker P Dhanapal assuring to provide adequate security to the MLAs, several media persons indulged in arguments with the Police outside the TN assembly, after which the audio speaker kept in Tamil Nadu assembly press room, allocated for accredited reporters and cameramen, was disconnected.
Ahead of the crucial 'floor test', Panneerselvam appealed to AIADMK MLAs to vote against Palanisamy. "MLAs should be given time to hear the views of their constituency people. Time should be given till then," he said, during the assembly session.
From the frenzy over Panneerselvam's rebellion at late J. Jayalalithaa's memorial to the secret ballot of confidence today at the state assembly, the political stalemate in the state looks far from getting resolved as the confusion over the occupant of the chair of power continues.
The party leadership appointed Palanisamy as the new legislative leader, when, following the Supreme Court order, party general secretary V.K. Sasikala stood disqualified to take over as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. But, soon after taking the oath as the chief minister of the state, Palanisamy lost a few MLAs, who went ahead and declared support to Panneerselvam, who now heads the rebel AIADMK.
Update here