AIADMK stages walkout in Assembly

Chennai, Apr 8: AIADMK supremo and Leader of the Opposition J Jayalalithaa today attended the Tamil Nadu Assembly and led her party colleagues in staging a walkout, demanding suspension of Question Hour to discuss the Hogenakkal drinking water project issue, which was put on hold by the state government following violence in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Soon after the day's proceedings began, Jayalalithaa demanded suspension of question hour to discuss the issue. However, Speaker R Avudiyappan refused permission following which Jayalalithaa staged a noisy walkout along with party MLAs. The MDMK, an ally of AIADMK also joined the walkout.

Later, talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Jayalalithaa said by issuing an unilateral statement that Hogenakkal water project was put on hold till the new government was installed in Karnataka after next month elections, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had betrayed the people and demanded his resignation.

While Karunanidhi wanted the support of all parties for moving a resolution in the House in this regard, he neither convened the cabinet meeting nor consulted leaders of other parties before announcing that the drinking water project was put on hold in the wake of escalating violence in the two states.

UNI