OPS May be Relocated from his Current Position

Chennai: Leader of the Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, has long been demanding a change in the seating arrangement for the former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and for the AIADMK’s deputy leader of the opposition R B Udhayakumar to be allotted the seat. It seems that this demand may soon be granted, as Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged Speaker M Appavu to consider the request during the question hour on Tuesday.

Palaniswami raised the issue, stating that his party’s persistent requests for changing the seating arrangement had not been met, even after the party elected a new deputy Speaker.

In response, the Chief Minister urged the Speaker to reconsider the demand, which had been previously rejected on the grounds that the seating arrangement was the Speaker’s prerogative. This was referenced by the Chief Minister to the response of former Speaker Dhanapal to similar requests made during the previous regime.

The AIADMK has been insisting on changing Panneerselvam’s seat as he was seated on the same twin sofa as the Leader of the Opposition. Since Panneerselvam was chosen as the deputy leader of the party, both leaders were seated on the same sofa.

Once the two leaders fell out and Panneerselvam was expelled from the AIADMK, the party requested the Speaker to accommodate their new deputy leader Udhayakumar in the sofa. However, the Speaker declined and said that his decision was final, citing previous rulings made during the AIADMK rule.

The refusal to shift Panneerselvam’s seat in the Assembly caused embarrassment to him and Palaniswami as they had been at odds and were seated facing opposite directions in the House.

The situation may soon change, as the Chief Minister’s intervention into the dispute between the Speaker and the AIADMK may prompt the Speaker to reconsider the demand. Whether Panneerselvam’s alleged leaning towards the BJP had any influence on this decision is uncertain, but the Speaker is expected to consider the AIADMK’s request soon.

It remains to be seen how Panneerselvam will react to the latest development, as he had seemingly not voiced any complaints about sitting on the same sofa as his rival.