CHENNAI: The three-day-old government headed by ‘Edappadi’ K Palanisamy won the confidence vote on Saturday and proved its majority in the House by securing 122 votes. The 11 rebel MLAs, including former chief minister O Panneerselvam, former school education minister K Pandiarajan and Mylapore MLA R Natraj, voted against the confidence motion.
The division of votes was taken in the absence of principal opposition party DMK and its allies Congress and IUML.
While all the members of the DMK were evicted en masse after their unruly behaviour, the Congress and IUML staged a walkout protesting Speaker’s refusal to consider their demands for a secret ballot to decide the majority or to defer the confidence vote by one week. Thus, indeed, the battle was between the two factions of the AIADMK.
After the House resumed its business at 3 pm, post second adjournment of the day, the Speaker ordered taking division vote, rejecting the repeated requests of the Opposition for adopting secret ballot method for ascertaining the majority.
Following this, the Assembly Secretary rang the quorum bell thrice and immediately all the entrances to the Assembly hall were closed. The Speaker ordered all the members of the House to remain seated and not to move out.
Of the six divisions in the State Assembly, two were empty following the eviction of the DMK MLAs. Just as the Speaker was announcing the results of the division of votes, O Panneerselvam and his supporters left the House.
Greeting the Palanisamy government, which won the confidence vote, the Speaker said that even if the opposition parties were present in the House and voting, the government would have won the confidence vote. The Speaker said he had conducted the division of votes in accordance with the rules of the House.
Will meet PM to press for TN’s demands, says EPS Just after winning the confidence vote in the State Assembly, Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palanisamy on Saturday said he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek financial assistance for reconstruction works in the areas affected by cyclone Vardah and the drought.
The Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues drove straight from the Assembly to the memorial of the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Marina and paid their respects.
Answering queries of media persons, the Chief Minister said, “First priority of the government would be to set right the drinking water issue since Tamil Nadu is facing the worst drought after 140 years.”
Asked about the NEET examinations scheduled to be held from March 10, Palanisamy said, “Tamil Nadu government’s stand is against NEET examination. We have already sent our Bill to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET to the President for assent.”
Answering another query, he said, “You all witnessed the atrocious activities of the DMK MLAs in the House today. They came to the House with a view to stall the confidence vote, but their intentions failed. The AIADMK MLAs have proved that they are true followers of the late leaders MGR and Jayalalithaa.
The pledge was taken by AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala to ensure the continuance of the government that would work for the welfare of the people on the path shown by the late chief minister Jayalalithaa became a reality today.”
The Chief Minister also charged that those who deserted the AIADMK recently joined hands with the DMK in the House on Saturday and tried to dissolve this government. Later, the Chief Minister and his colleagues visited Poes Garden and paid their respects in front of the portrait of the late leader.