This Article is From May 11, 2021

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Newly Elected Cabinet Take Oath

Former Chief Minister K Palaniswami who will be the leader of opposition, took the oath following the ministers.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Newly Elected Cabinet Take Oath

MK Stalin was the first to take oath.

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, his Cabinet colleagues, AIADMK top leader K Palaniswami, who is set to be the Leader of Opposition on Tuesday took oath as MLAs in the Assembly.

As soon as the House convened with pro-tem Speaker K Pitchandi in the chair, Mr Stalin was the first to take oath.

Following him, other ministers, beginning with senior legislator and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan took the oath.

Two ministers, SS Sivasankar (Backward Classes Welfare) and M Mathiventhan (Tourism), did not take the oath as they were being treated for COVID-19.

Former Chief Minister K Palaniswami who will be the leader of opposition, took the oath following the ministers.

While Stalin, his Cabinet colleagues and DMK MLAs made a solemn affirmation, most AIADMK members including Palaniswami and former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam took the oath in the name of God.

Some other members including AIADMK's KP Munusamy, who resigned his Rajya Sabha membership following his win in the Assembly polls, made the affirmation in the name of their conscience. A total of 224 MLAs out of the total 234, took the oath from 10 am to 2 pm.

The MLAs who did not take oath today are expected to do so in the Speaker''s chamber in the days to come.

Also, Stalin proposed the names of DMK legislators M Appavu and K Pitchandi for the posts of Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker. It was seconded by Duraimurugan, also the Leader of the House in the nominations for the May 12 election for the two posts.

Appavu and Pitchandi are set to be declared elected on Wednesday as no other nominations were made as expected for the two posts. Following the outbreak of the pandemic last year, the Assembly sessions are being held in the newly constructed government auditorium, "Kalaivanar Arangam."

The Tamil Nadu Assembly building in the British era Fort St George premises here is currently not being used for sittings in view of the need to ensure physical distance.

The DMK won 133 seats and alongwith allies including Congress secured victory in 159 constituencies.

The AIADMK garnered 66 seats and its partners, the PMK and BJP, five and four segments respectively.

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