PONDICHERRY: The members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which is supporting the Congress Government from outside, boycotted the opening day of the winter session of the Pondicherry Legislative Assembly on Oct.12.
They were protesting against the Government’s refusal to reorganize trade union rights in the Angio-French textile mills here.
Ellango, who resumed his seat seconds after staging the walkout, interrupted the Speaker while he was reading out the next business and sought permission to move another adjournment motion to discuss the price rise.
He said even the ruling party’s ally, the AIADMK, had lost confidence in the Government and had boycotted the session over the trade union nights issue. Kannan retorted that mere boycotting did not mean that the AIADMK had withdrawn support to the Government.
Ellango then demanded that the Government seek a vote of confidence on the floor of the House Vaithilingam accepted the challenge and said he was prepared to prove his majority if a vote was allowed now.
But the Speaker said, he could not go in for a vote of confidence with any prima-facie reason, and if the member insisted, he should move a no-confidence motion.
The Speaker said Ellange would not be able to do so as there must be at Ieast six members to move the motion, while there were only five Opposition members present in the House.
When the Speaker took up the other business listed for the day, Ellango staged a walkout for the second time.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 23, 1992
