CHENNAI, India: Indian legislators came to blows Saturday, ripping out microphones and breaking chairs as the new leader of Tamil Nadu state sought to win a vote of confidence in the regional assembly.
Shouting slogans, legislators disrupted the assembly as Edappadi Palanisamy, who was recently sworn in as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister, sought a majority for his government, looking to cement his position following the death of his predecessor Jayalalithaa Jayaram in December.
As Saturday’s vote got under way, members of the opposition ripped papers, toppled tables and threw microphones to demand a secret ballot that would potentially allow legislators from the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party to switch sides, according to media reports.
Television footage showed legislators storming the well of the house and manhandling each other, injuring at least one member who was carried out on a stretcher.
The vote was adjourned until 3:00 pm (0930 GMT) as the speaker, who was whisked away to safety by marshals, ordered the eviction of disruptive legislators.
Palanisamy, 63, will need to win at least 117 votes in the 234-member state assembly for a clear mandate, which could potentially end a long-running tussle for power within the AIADMK party.
Later, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami won a test of strength in an assembly where close to 100 opposition lawmakers were missing after violence and chaos over a demand for secret voting. Mr Palaniswami, handpicked by jailed AIADMK chief VK Sasikala, won 122 votes; only 11 votes were cast against him by the O Panneerselvam camp. Mr Palaniswami had 15 days to prove his majority but had opted to convene the special assembly session in a hurry to ensure that his support did not dwindle, NDTV reported.
Tamil Nadu, one of India’s most prosperous states, was plunged into political crisis following Jayalalithaa’s sudden death.
