DMK ends assembly boycott

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Ending its week-long boycott of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, DMK on Saturday said it would attend the proceedings when the House resumes its sitting next week as it wanted to discharge its democratic duties towards the people.

Party's Treasurer and DMK Legislature Party Leader M.K. Stalin informed Speaker D Jayakumar that his party MLAs would attend the budget discussion pertaining to grants for various departments (which is scheduled from next week).

DMK, which has 23 members in the 234-strong Assembly, had boycotted the budget presentation on August 4 and subsequent discussion on it, demanding that the Speaker make seating arrangements accommodating all its MLAs in a single bloc.

In a letter to the Speaker, Stalin said even such ‘simple demands’ made by the opposition were not being obliged which would amount to favouring the ruling AIADMK.

"You must be aware that both in Parliament and Assemblies, members of respective parties are seated in the same area," he said.

Responding to AIADMK's ridiculing their demand, Stalin said his party MLAs did not fear attending the Assembly.

"DMK legislators will participate in the discussion on different departments, express their opinion and discharge their democratic duties in the interest of the people ," Stalin said.