CHENNAI: Opposition parties including DMK, Congress and IUML Monday boycotted the customary address of governor Banwarilal Purohit during the first session of the state assembly. Apart from them, Actor S Karunas (Mukkulathor Pulippadai) and Thameemun Ansari, Jayananayaka Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, both allies of the AIADMK, also boycotted the proceedings of the House. However, TTV Dhinakaran remained in the House.
Just after the governor entered the House greeting everyone, he started his address to the Assembly. Immediately, leader of Opposition, MK Stalin, stood up and started reading out a prepared statement without the mike. Meanwhile, members of Congress and IUML were also on their feet.
The governor asked Stalin to be seated. However, he continued reading out his statement and the governor started his address. A minute later, Stalin and his colleagues trooped out of the House and members of Congress, IUML, Karunas and Thameemun Ansari followed suit.
Later, talking to media persons, Stalin said “The government headed by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has no locus standi to continue in office since it has lost the majority in the Assembly. But instead of directing the government to prove its majority in the House, the governor is reading the speech prepared by this government. Hence, we have decided to boycott the address of the governor,”
Earlier, TTV Dhinakaran assumed his seat in the Assembly at 9.41 a.m. He was led to his seat by two MLAs supporting him — VT Kalaichelvan of Vriddhachalam and E Rathinasabapathy of Arantangi. No MLA or minister from the treasury benches greeted him while DMK MLAs including KN Nehru, B Renganathan and others were seen greeting Dhinakaran.