Oppn walks out of TN Assembly on flimsy ground

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Assembly session resumed on a stormy note on Wednesday, with the AIADMK-led opposition staging a walkout, alleging malpractices in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Soon after Speaker R Avudaippan made obituary references, AIADMK members sought to raise the issue and levelled a series of allegations against the ruling DMK on the conduct of the polls. As the Speaker disallowed their remarks to go on record, they walked out of the House. Later, when the other opposition parties, such as the Left, PMK and MDMK, tried to raise the same issue, they were refused permission and they too joined the walkout.

AIADMK members also clashed with their dissident member and film comedian, S Ve Sekar, who congratulated chief minister M Karunanidhi���s son, M K Stalin, on his elevation as deputy chief minister.

Mr Sekar also alleged there is a threat to his life from his fellow party legislators and demanded protection. Protesting the allegations, AIADMK MLAs said the Speaker should not allow the actor to speak without the permission of the party���s whip K A Sengotaiyan.

For quite some time, even while remaining in the party, Mr Sekar, elected from Mylapore, has been embarrassing the AIADMK high command and leaders by frequently meeting Mr Karunanidhi and other DMK leaders. Before the Lok Sabha Poll, he presented a memorandum to the chief minister seeking reservation for poor brahmins in government education and jobs.