NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, MAY 11
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, his Cabinet colleagues, AIADMK top leader K Palaniswami, who is set to be the Leader of Opposition on Tuesday took oath as MLAs in the Assembly.
'தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு. @mkstalin அவர்கள், சென்னை கலைவாணர் அரங்கில் நடைபெற்று வரும் 16வது சட்டமன்ற பேரவையின் முதல் கூட்டத்தொடரில், தற்காலிக பேரவைத் தலைவர் திரு. @PitchandiK அவர்கள் முன்னிலையில் சட்டமன்ற உறுப்பினராக பதவியேற்றார்'#DMK #MKStalin pic.twitter.com/euHc1bzAD3
— DMK (@arivalayam) May 11, 2021
As soon as the House convened with pro-tem Speaker K Pitchandi in the chair, Stalin was the first to take oath. Following him, other ministers, beginning with senior legislator and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan took the oath.
Two Ministers, S S Sivasankar (Backward Classes Welfare) and M Mathiventhan (Tourism), did not take the oath as they were being treated for COVID-19.
Former Chief Minister K Palaniswami who will be the leader of opposition, took the oath following the ministers.
While Stalin, his Cabinet colleagues and DMK MLAs made a solemn affirmation, most AIADMK members including Palaniswami and former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam took the oath in the name of God. Some other members including AIADMK’s K P Munusamy, who resigned his Rajya Sabha membership following his win in the Assembly polls, made the affirmation in the name of their conscience.
A total of 224 MLAs out of the total 234, took the oath from 10 am to 2 pm. The MLAs who did not take oath today are expected to do so in the Speaker’s chamber in the days to come.
Also, Stalin proposed the names of DMK legislators M Appavu and K Pitchandi for the posts of Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker. It was seconded by Duraimurugan, also the Leader of the House in the nominations for the May 12 election for the two posts.
Appavu and Pitchandi are set to be declared elected on Wednesday as no other nominations were made as expected for the two posts.
Following the outbreak of the pandemic last year, the Assembly sessions are being held in the newly constructed government auditorium, ”Kalaivanar Arangam.”
The TN Assembly building in the British era Fort St George premises here is currently not being used for sittings in view of the need to ensure physical distance.
The DMK won 133 seats and alongwith allies including Congress secured victory in 159 constituencies.
The AIADMK garnered 66 seats and its partners, the PMK and BJP, five and four segments respectively.
