DMK to move no-confidence motion against Assembly Speaker

DMK today said it would soon move a no-confidence motion against Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal as it accused him of "deliberately harping on his community to malign" the party.

DMK working president and leader of opposition in the Assembly M K Stalin announced this at a press conference here, indicating a possible trial of strength for the AIADMK government, which only on Saturday won the Trust Vote by 122-11 margin.

Stalin was responding to Dhanapal's charge on Saturday after the confidence vote faced by Chief Minister E K Palanisamy, that he was perhaps targeted by the DMK during the ruckus for hailing from a particular community.

"When we see that the Speaker is deliberately harping on his community to maligns us, it is very regrettable. It is a matter of shame according to us, for Tamil Nadu," Stalin said.

"Therefore we will move a no confidence motion (against Dhanapal). Signatures of 34 of our MLAs is enough for that and the (Assembly) rules mandate that it (motion) should be taken up within 15 days. On that basis, we will be soon giving it," he added.

DMK has 89 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. On Saturday, amidst chaotic scenes involving DMK which eventually led to eviction of its members enmasse, the Palaniswami government won the trust vote by the huge margin. The 11 votes were cast by rebel AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his supporters.

DMK and Panneerselvam camp had pressed for a secret ballot on the motion of confidence, but it was rejected by the Speaker.