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Speaker approves OPS’ demand to change EPS’ seat in House
The AIADMK's internal dispute over seating arrangements in Tamil Nadu's assembly has been resolved after two years. RB Udhayakumar has been recognized as the party's Deputy Leader of Opposition, replacing O Panneerselvam.
The squabble within the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) over the sitting arrangement in Tamil Nadu’s assembly has been resolved after over two years.
On Wednesday, during the on-going session, assembly Speaker M Appavu recognised RB Udhayakumar as AIADMK’s deputy Leader of Opposition (LoP) and allotted him a seat next to the LoP, Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) in the House effectively replacing O Panneerselvam (OPS) from the post and his allocated seat in the assembly. OPS has now been moved to the second row.
Since the EPS-led AIADMK expelled OPS from the party in July 2022, the party has repeatedly approached the Speaker to recognise Udhayakumar. On Tuesday, chief minister MK Stalin asked the Speaker to consider EPS’ request after the AIADMK leader had raised the issue during question hour.
EPS and OPS have been seated next to each other since the 2021 assembly elections in every assembly session. In October 2023, EPS even moved the Madras high court raising the issue. “The presence of an expelled member of AIADMK right next to me greatly affects the functioning of the opposition in the Assembly,” EPS said in his writ petition seeking an interim injunction. EPS had accused the Speaker of deliberately trying to weaken the AIADMK since he had not changed OPS’ seat and not responded to multiple such requests from the AIADMK.
