Updated May 8th, 2021 at 18:51 IST
DMK's K Pitchandi appointed Tamil Nadu Assembly's pro-tem speaker; 1st session on May 11
Senior DMK leader K Pitchandi has been appointed as the pro-tem speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, a day after MK Stalin was sworn in as Chief Minister
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Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader K Pitchandi has been appointed as the pro-tem speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, a day after MK Stalin was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time. DMK succeeded in denying an incumbent AIADMK a three-peat after its alliance secured an absolute majority in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections held for 234 seats. As per sources, Tamil Nadu's newly appointed pro-tem speaker K Pitchandi will administer the oath to the newly-elected MLAs on May 11, which will also be the first session of the new Tamil Nadu Assembly after the elections.
MK Stalin takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM
Ushering in his maiden CM term, DMK supremo MK Stalin on Friday took oath as Tamil Nadu's 8th Chief Minister at Raj Bhawan in Chennai, after a long wait of 10 years. Apart from Stalin, 33 other cabinet members took oath along with him - with son Udhayanidhi missing a berth. Stalin retained the Home Ministry portfolio while Duraimurugan has been made the Minister for Water Resources, KN Nehru as Minister for Municipal Administration, K Ponmudi as Minister for Higher Education, M.R.K. Panneerselvam as Minister for Agriculture among other ministers. A notable name missing from the list is Stalin's son Udhyanidhi who secured victory from the Chepauk-Triplicane constituency in his debut in Tamil Nadu electoral politics.
Present among the 200 attendees were poll strategist Prashant Kishor, ex-Dy CM O Pannerselvam, ex-CM E Palaniswami, MNM chief Kamal Haasan, DMK MLAs and Stalin's family. Curiously, no top leader from ally Congress was present at the oath ceremony. Top Congress brass had been missing from JMM chief Heman Soren's oath ceremony in 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, BJP leader K Annamalai were some of the leaders who congratulated Stalin after he took oath as Tamil Nadu CM.
DMK emerges victorious in Tamil Nadu Assembly elections
DMK denied AIADMK the opportunity to return to power for the third consecutive term and comfortably swept the recently concluded Assembly polls, ensuring its return to power after ten years. While DMK won 133 seats in the 234-seat Assembly, its allies Congress, VCK, CPI, CPIM emerged victorious in 18, 3 and two seats respectively. AIADMK, the 'big brother' of the NDA alliance, managed to win just 66 seats while its allies BJP and PMK won four and five seats respectively. In the past, the DMK had been the ruling party five times, during 2006-11, 1996-2001, 1989-91, 1971-76, and 1967-71.
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Published May 8th, 2021 at 18:51 IST
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