TN power struggle echoes in LS; Speaker rejects AIADMK notice

The ongoing power struggle in Tamil Nadu today played out in the Lok Sabha with AIADMK members disrupting proceedings by raising slogans apparently supporting V K Sasikala as the next Chief Minister.

As soon as the House took up Question Hour, majority of the AIADMK members present in the House rushed to Well shouting slogans such as 'Save our democracy'.

Earlier, AIADMK leader in the House P Venugopal wanted to raise an issue but was disallowed by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. While most members were in the Well, some were seen standing near their seats. Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who was also present, was seen handing over slips to party members standing in the Well.

The Speaker asked them to raise the issue during Zero Hour and later adjourned the proceedings for nearly 20 minutes till 1130 hours. This is for the first time in this session that AIADMK members were seen in the Lok Sabha.

Later before the start of the Zero Hour, the Speaker rejected the notice for adjournment moved by Venugopal saying it is regarding the Governor who is a constitutional authority and the matter cannot be raised in the House.

After the House was adjourned at around 1110 hours, some Opposition members said the AIADMK members were "protesting" the alleged delay on part of the Governor to swear in V K Sasikala as the next Chief Minister.

When the House met for the day, the Speaker referred to the attack on the Afghanistan Supreme Court yesterday and urged countries to stand by the Afghan government in combating terrorism.

When the members were about to stand in silence as a mark of respect for the Afghan attack victims, Congress Leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge asked the Speaker to also make an obituary reference for those who died standing in ATM queues days after demonetisation was announced by the government on November 8 last year.