Members of the main Opposition AIADMK walked out of the Assembly over various issues on Friday and boycotted the Finance Minister’s budget speech.
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Soon after the House assembled at 10 a.m. with the customary recital of a couplet from the Thirukkural, Speaker M. Appavu invited the Finance Minister to present the budget for 2022-23. Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami rose and attempted to make some remarks.
AIADMK members stood in support of him, but the Chair did not allow him to speak since the Minister had commenced his budget speech.
Reading out from a prepared script, Mr. Palaniswami attempted to make some remarks, but they were not entered in the records. Soon, the AIADMK members started raising slogans. Since the Speaker did not allow them to raise issues, Mr. Palaniswami led his party members out.
However, members of the PMK and the BJP — both allies of the AIADMK in the 2021 election — did not follow suit. They were in the House till the Minister concluded his speech.