During the Tamil Nadu Assembly debate on the Governor’s address, AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami took issue with Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, saying the Speaker should not answer questions that should be responded to by ministers themselves.
The exchange began after AIADMK MLA M.M.A. Thangamani raised questions about the state’s debt and other issues in the House. When Speaker Appavu provided responses with some statistics, Palaniswami intervened, arguing that it was the ministers — not the Speaker — who should reply to such matters. He said the Speaker should refrain from speaking for the executive and allow the concerned ministers to answer directly.
Speaker Appavu responded by saying he spoke in the absence of the Finance Minister, who was unavailable in the Assembly at that moment.
The comments reflect ongoing tensions in the House between the opposition and the ruling party over legislative procedures and debate conduct.