T Avudaiyappan is TN Speaker

Chennai, May 17 : Lawyer turned politicians T Avudaiyappan and V P Duraisamy will be Tamil Nadu assembly's Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, Chief Minister M Karunandhi said today.

In a brief chat with newspersons at the Assembly lobby, the Chief Minister said while the Speaker hailed from the Mukkulathor (Thevar) community, his deputy is from the Arudadhiyar (Dalit) community.

Mr Avudaiappan, who was elected to the state assembly for the second time from Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli distirct and Mr Duraisamy from Sankari reserved constituency in Namakkal district, are expected to file their nominations tomorrow.

They are likely to be formally elected when the House meets on May 19.

Mr Karunanidhi's announcement put at rest speculations that the Congress, a key ally in the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), would be given the Deputy Speakership post.

Mr Avudaiyappan, who was elected to the assembly for the first time in 1996, should have some idea about the office of the Speaker as he had been the Junior of former Speaker Chellapandian, an eminent criminal lawyer.

For Mr Duraisamy, the office of Deputy Speaker is not new as he had served in the post when the DMK was in power during 1989-91.

UNI