AIADMK-Cong come to blows in TN House

Chennai, May 26 (UNI) Acrimonious scenes marred the first session of the new Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly today with AIADMK members exchanging blows with Congress MLAs, culminating in their en masse eviction and suspension for the rest of the session.

The trouble began when Mr Peter Alphonse (Congress), while speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address, accused the earlier AIADMK regime of putting the proposed desalination plant in Chennai city on the backburner, despite the Centre allotting Rs 1,000 crore for it.

When D Jayakumar (AIADMK) got up to give an explanation, Alphonse, who was irked by frequent interruptions by AIADMK members, asked him to mind his business, adding that he wanted to complete the speech.

This provoked heated exchanges between members of the AIADMK and the Congress, following which Mr Kalairajan (AIADMK) was seen exchanging blows with Congress legislator C Gnanasekaran and others.

A microphone broken in the melee was also used as a weapon.

As it became a free-for-all with more members from either side joining the fight and the situation threatening to spin out of control, Speaker R Avudaiyappan ordered the en masse eviction of AIADMK legislators.

Even as the marshalls were attempting to remove them, the party's R K Nagar MLA P K Sekarbabu was seen menacingly rushing towards Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Senior DMK leaders, including Health Minister K K S S Ramachandran, Information Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi and party MLA Karuppusami Pandian, formed a circle around the octogenarian leader and gave him protection.

The evicted AIADMK MLAs shouted slogans against the DMK Government in the Assembly lobby.

Later, Leader of the House K Anbazhagan moved a resolution for their suspension for their 'unbecoming conduct' in the House.

The resolution was passed by a voice vote and the Speaker announced the suspension of the AIADMK MLAs for the rest of the session, which would end on May 31.

More UNI AKN/GV LS DS1530