S Karunas withdraws plea against Speaker

Chennai: In a dramatic volte face, Thiruvadanai MLA S. Karunas who had reiterated to see through his Assembly resolution seeking the removal of Tamil Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, withdrew his petition on Wednesday, after the Governor's customary address to the Assembly.

“The Independent legislator S. Karunas, elected on an AIADMK ticket, has withdrawn a notice seeking my removal…. he had given a resolution against me. He himself has withdrawn it,” Dhanapal told reporters here, but did not elaborate.

In October last year, Karunas had moved a notice against the Speaker alleging that “Dhanapal was acting in a biased and partisan manner while conducting Assembly proceedings.” He had handed over the petition at the office of Assembly Secretary R. Srinivasan through his counsel. The first resolution seeking removal of the Speaker was moved by DMK on March 23, 2018 and was defeated by the ruling AIADMK.

 The lawmaker was recently arrested for his derogatory remarks on Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam and the police, in September last year. The sudden withdrawal of his notice has triggered a speculation of a possible rapprochement with the ruling AIADMK. 

Meanwhile, an official release informed that Karunas called on Palaniswami at the Secretariat and submitted a petition.

Karunas was immediately not available for a comment. The actor, who won the 2016 Assembly election from Tiruvadanai constituency in Ramanathapuram district on an AIADMK ticket, had later met AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran who won from the city's R.K Nagar constituency trouncing the AIADMK and the DMK, and backed him. There was even speculation then that action would be initiated against Karunas for defying the Chair.