Pandemonium, then trust vote in TN assembly
» Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a loyalist of V.K. Sasikala, wins trust vote
» 122 MLAs voted in Palaniswami's favor
» Stalin, other protesting DMK MLAs detained by police at Marina Beach
» Voters have been betrayed by MLAs: OPS
» Trust vote after DMK MLAs evicted; Congress & IUML MLAs too boycott proceedings
» Speaker walks out after protesting MLAs break his mike and sit on his chair
» You tore my shirt & insulted me: TN speaker deplores DMK MLAs' act in assembly | Video
» Session adjourned twice during the day
» Protesting MLAs tear paper, throw chairs, climb on bench and raises slogans
» OPS camp demands secret ballot. Opposition parties support the demand but TN speaker rejects it
» No live telecast of proceedings: media barred from entering assembly
» The floor test in the assembly is the first such exercise the state has witnessed in about 30 years
Chennai: The Palaniswami government Saturday won the confidence vote in the Tamil Nadu assembly by a comfortable 122-11 margin after high drama in the assembly.
The vote was preceded by eviction of principal opposition DMK and walkout by its allies, which have 98 legislators in the 234-member House, in protest.
Mobocracy tramples upon electorate in TN's temple of democracy
Former chief minister Panneerselvam could muster only 11 votes, ending the prolonged stalemate triggered by his rebellion and by conviction of AIADMK chief V K Sasikala after being elected the legislature party leader.
Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, while appointing Edappadi K Palaniswami as the chief minister after he was propped by Sasikala, had given him 15 days time to prove his majority.
The vote was taken after two adjournments due to pandemonium and charges of attacks by DMK members.
Speaker P. Dhanapal and opposition leader M.K. Stalin said their shirts were torn in the fracas in the assembly.
Stalin immediately dashed off to the Raj Bhavan to meet the governor and complain about the incidents.
Tight security was in place outside the assembly to prevent any untoward incident in the wake of the do or die battle for the pro-Sasikala government.
When the assembly met for the day, speaker P Dhanapal assured the members that they would be provided proper security.
The assembly witnessed unruly scenes with the opposition members insisting on a secret vote and wanting MLAs to be allowed to visit their constituencies and meet the people before they cast their vote.
This was, however, rejected by the speaker who went on with the floor test when the assembly reassembled at 3 pm.
Panneerselvam, who had claimed he was forced to resign as chief minister, had met the governor twice earlier during the month.
Just hours ahead of the voting, the Palaniswami camp received a jolt when Coimbatore North MLA Arun Kumar left saying he would abstain from voting.
On Friday, MLA from Mylpore constituency, R Nataraj had said he would vote against the chief minister's motion of confidence.
Ailing DMK supremo M Karunanidhi did not attend the proceedings.
The floor test in the assembly was the first such exercise in the state in about 30 years.
