Evicted from TN assembly, DMK MLAs stage 'road roko', court arrest

MLAs of the DMK staged a road roko outside the Tamil Nadu assembly after being evicted by Speaker Dhanapal. DMK MLAs, including the leader of opposition M K Stalin, were evicted from the Tamil Nadu assembly following a ruckus that broke out over AIADMK MLAs bribery row. DMK MLAs were taken into police custody for protesting outside the assembly where section 144 is imposed.

The Speaker read out names of DMK MLAs asking them to leave the house after they shouted slogans against the Speaker and held out placards in protest. Stalin and other MLAs of the DMK sat in protest outside the assembly on the main road and continued to shout slogans against the speaker.

Ruckus broke out in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Wednesday after Speaker Dhanapal refused to allow discussion on AIADMK MLAs bribery row. DMK MLAs shouted slogans against the speaker for rejecting M K Stalin's request to discuss the matter. The speaker threatened to initiate action against the DMK MLAs. When the sloganeering persisted, the speaker evicted members of the DMK.

The leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly M K Stalin raised the issue of bribery charges against AIADMK MLAs on the first day of assembly session. M K Stalin sought a discussion on allegations levelled against AIADMK MLAs for accepting money and gold to support Sasikala Natarajan and Panneerselvam factions of the party. A ruckus broke out after the speaker disallowed the same. The Assembly Speaker held that the matter was sub judice and hence could not be discussed in the house.

A divided AIADMK up against a united opposition

It is a united opposition versus a divided AIADMK in the Tamil Nadu assembly. The 24-day session that started on Wednesday was convened to pass the GST bill but is now turning out to be a stormy session with bribery charges levelled against AIADMK MLAs.

With Panneerselvam camp making it clear that merger is not a possibility with the Edappadi camp, a divided AIADMK is compelled to take on a united opposition led by M K Stalin. While the allegations of AIADMK MLAs accepting bribes to support either camp of the party is the key agenda for the opposition to attack the government, NEET, drought issue, MBBS admission are likely to be raised during the session.

The leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly M K Stalin has claimed that he would lead the fight to oust the government. Following a sting operation that purportedly showed an AIADMK MLAs admitting that money and gold was offered to MLAs in the Koovathur resort to support Sasikala Natarajan, M K Stalin had claimed that the government should not be allowed to continue.

While both Panneerselvam camp and MLAs supporting TTV Dinakaran have claimed that there was no threat from their side to Edappadi Palanisamy government, the sting has changed equations. While another floor test was being considered as a possibility, political experts are of the opinion that such a move, if any, may come only after the Presidential elections.

Key bills during current session

The AIADMK government is gearing up to table and pass the State Goods and Services Tax Bill in the House, as stated by Finance Minister D Jayakumar in the GST Council meetings. The GST bill was tabled in the assembly on Wednesday.

A Bill to replace the ordinance relating to the appointment of Vice Chancellors to State-run universities under the name Tamil Nadu Universities Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 is also expected to be tabled in the House this session.

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