Pandemonium reigned in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Saturday with opposition parties demanding secret ballot to decide the fate of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami who proposed a confidence motion.
Soon after the assembly began, Palaniswami moved the motion, which was followed by heated arguments started by Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin urging Speaker P. Dhanapal to allow secret ballot.
The Speaker said that legislators could not interfere with his powers.
He also questioned the need for urgency in seeking a confidence vote when Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao gave 15 days time.
As the lawmakers supporting Chief Minister Palaniswami remained silent, the DMK legislators surrounded Dhanapal shouting slogans.
They also tore the assembly agenda papers and threw some chairs around.
As the ruckus continued, Dhanapal went to his room, adjourning the house till 1 p.m.
Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam also demanded secret ballot.
--IANS
vj/in/rn
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