Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly was adjourned
sine die on Thursday amid acrimonious scenes with three AIADMK MLA’s
tearing copies of interim budget, attracting breach of
privilege and the party staging a walk-out.
The principal opposition party also hinted that its party
chief J Jayalalithaa may not make the New Legislative Assembly
complex, also housing the Upper House and the Secretariat, her
seat of power in the event of winning elections, due in May.
Participating in the debate on the interim budget, Deputy
Leader of the AIADMK Legislature, O Panneerselvam said the
ruling DMK will face defeat in the elections due to various
issues including its alleged failure to control price rise and
power crisis.
"AIADMK will return to power and our party chief
(Jayalalithaa) will come back as Chief Minister at St.George`s
Fort", he said.
After having long served as the seat of power in Tamil
Nadu, the British-built St George`s Fort was bid adieu last
year when the Assembly session was held at the New Assembly
complex, whose construction is yet to be completed.
A project said to be close to the heart of DMK president
and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the then over Rs 500 crore
complex was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in
the presence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in March 2010.
Jayalalithaa, also the Opposition Leader in the Assembly,
had not attended a single day`s proceedings there even as she
had criticised the building for its lack of aesthetics.
On Monday, the AIADMK had moved a resolution seeking the
House`s permission to abstain her for the last session of the
present Assembly on health grounds and that she required
`complete rest`.
Responding to Panneerselvam`s remarks that the DMK will
lose in the elections, Finance Minister K Anbazhagan said
"when the party members of a leader who is taking rest thinking
she can win, why not the DMK whose leader (Karunanidhi) is
active and performing", drawing strong protests from AIADMK
members.
He was wrapping up the debate on the interim budget.
For a while, the DMK and AIADMK members sparred on this
matter with the latter subsequently walking out.
Later, Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin moved a resolution
saying that three AIADMK members- D Jayakumar, K Hari and AK
Bose, had torn copies of the interim budget which he described
"are against the ethos of the House" and breach of privilege.
However, the House pardoned them, he said in the resolution
which was adopted by a voice vote.
The House was later adjourned since die following a
resolution moved by Anbazhagan and adopted by the House.
PTI
