Hopeful of a good verdict from Dhanapal: DMK

CHENNAI: The DMK on Friday said it was hopeful of a “good ruling” by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker on its plea seeking disqualification of 11 AIADMK MLAs who had voted against the Palaniswami government in 2017.

The principal opposition party was reacting to the State government’s submission in the Supreme Court on Friday that Speaker P Dhanapal has initiated action on the disqualification petition.

“We expect a good verdict from the Speaker,” DMK president M K Stalin told reporters here, after a three-judge bench took note of the State government’s submission and disposed of the party’s petition.

The DMK had moved the apex court alleging that the Speaker did not act on its plea. Revolting against then party general secretary V K Sasikala, Panneerselvam had created a split in the AIADMK but later he and Palaniswami merged the factions and ousted her in August 2017.

Stalin took a dig at Panneerselvam over his remark during the Budget speech that the AIADMK government ushered in by late J Jayalalithaa continued to be in office despite many predicting its fall after her demise in 2016. Referring to Panneerselvam’s revolt against Sasikala, confidante of Jayalalithaa, in February 2017, Stalin recalled the former sitting on meditation at the memorial of the late leader before announcing his rebellion. “He then wanted the government to be removed, voted against it (on the confidence motion) and said it will change. Since then, only he has changed,” Stalin added.