DMK opposes PAC going to Congress

Chennai: DMK on Wednesday opposed Speaker P. Dhanapal’s decision to appoint Congress floor leader K R Ramasamy as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), saying the post of the head of the crucial panel should have been given to the principal Opposition.

As the Speaker announced his decision on the chairmanship of the PAC, the crucial assembly panel, DMK members were on their feet protesting the decision and some of them even trooped into the wall and demanded that Mr Dhanapal change his decision. Congress is an ally of the DMK.

However, the Speaker said he decided to appoint Ramasamy using his powers. He also cited a precedent set by the then ruling DMK in appointing a Congressman to the crucial post though the AIADMK was the principal Opposition with 61 members.

“I have gone by that precedent. And also, the PAC will go into the accounts of projects granted during the DMK regime. So I decide to allot the post to Congress,” Dhanapal said.

After a pandemonium that saw verbal duel between DMK and AIADMK members and a walk out by the former, DMK deputy floor leader Durai Murugan told reporters outside that his party had in 2006 “requested the then AIADMK leadership” for more than 10 times to give their nominee. “Since they never bothered to respond, we gave it to the Congress. But, now that is not the case,” Duraimurugan said,

The Speaker also announced the composition of Privileges, Public Undertaking Committee, Estimates Committee and other Assembly constituencies. He also announced members for Senate to various universities.