Newly-elected TN MLAs take oath as legislators

A total of 223 of the 234 newly-elected members took oath as legislators of the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly at the Kalaivanar Arangam on Wallajah Salai, Chennai on Tuesday.

Ten members, including Tourism Minister M Mathiventhan and Minister for Backward Classes Welfare S S Sivasankar did not take the oath owing to personal and medical reasons.

Soon after pro-tem Speaker K  Pitchandi commenced the first session of the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister M K Stalin, Council of Ministers, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, former Speaker P Dhanapal, former Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman, floor leaders of various parties and other legislators submitted their certificates of election to the Assembly Secretary and took oath as members of the House.

Among the first-time MLAs were Udhayanidhi Stalin, T  Ramachandran and Thirumagan Evera, who are sons of DMK president M K Stalin, Congress MP Su Thirunavukkarasar and Congress leader E V K S Elangovan respectively.

Senior members M Appavu and K Pitchandi of DMK were elected unopposed as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.