Chennai, June 22:
Internal differences within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) came to light in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday as a section of its MLAs chose not to participate in a walkout led by Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami over the Mekedatu dam issue.
The walkout was triggered after the Speaker allegedly denied permission to AIADMK members to raise a breach of privilege motion concerning the state government’s resolution on the Mekedatu project.
While Palaniswami led several party members out of the House in protest, senior leaders including S. P. Velumani and Natham R. Viswanathan, along with a few MLAs, remained inside. The development has once again highlighted internal differences within the party following the recent Assembly elections, in which AIADMK secured 47 seats.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Palaniswami alleged that the government had altered the Mekedatu resolution without following proper procedures. He stated that a draft circulated on June 18 had AIADMK’s support, but subsequent changes were made without being formally introduced or approved as required under Assembly rules.
He further claimed that these modifications were included in the Chief Minister’s reply without due process, and the Speaker’s refusal to allow discussion on the issue forced the party to stage the walkout.
According to AIADMK, the denial to raise the breach of privilege matter amounted to a violation of legislative norms. The walkout, Palaniswami said, was a mark of protest against what the party views as disregard for Assembly procedures.
The Mekedatu balancing reservoir project proposed by Karnataka across the Cauvery River remains a contentious issue. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the project, expressing concerns that it could impact its share of Cauvery water, particularly affecting farmers in the delta region.