TN Speaker agrees to consider allocating OPS’ seat in Assembly to AIADMK leader Udhayakumar

Chennai, Feb 13 (IANS) AIADMK senior leader and Deputy Leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, RB Udhayakumar is likely to get the seat of Deputy Leader of Opposition after Speaker M Appavu decided to consider the request of Chief Minister MK Stalin to allocate the seat to Udhayakumar. The Speaker made the announcement after Chief Minister MK Stalin requested him to kindly reconsider his decision on the issue and to allot the seat to Udhayakumar, who has been elected as the Deputy Leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party, headed by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS).At present, the seat is occupied by expelled AIADMK leader, O Panneerselvam (OPS).During Zero Hour on Tuesday, EPS raised the issue in the House and wanted to allot the seat next to him to Udhayakumar, which he said, has been a tradition.Stalin joined the issue to recall that the Speaker had cited the verdict of former Speaker P. Dhanapal that it was the prerogative of the Chair to allot the location of the seat to any member of the House.The Speaker had then stated that no seat was reserved for the Deputy Leader of Opposition, as the post was not a recognised one.Stalin, during the Zero Hour debate requested the Speaker reconsider his decision.The Speaker said that the Chief Minister had requested for reconsidering the decision and that suitable action would be taken soon.—IANSaal/rad

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