You are assuming office as Speaker at a time when the ruling TVK does not enjoy an independent majority in the House and the Opposition is also numerically strong. How do you propose to navigate your role?
It is by the grace of God that Mr. Vijay has won. Our leader is going to prove his majority on Wednesday. So, I do not see any challenge.
While you bring considerable legislative experience, a majority of the members are first-time legislators with limited exposure to Assembly procedures and rules. Do you foresee any challenges on this front? Would you organise orientation for them?
Yes. Very soon there will be an orientation programme for the first-time legislators. I am sure all the youngsters will pick up very easily. They are very shrewd and they understand whenever we talk to them. They understand the procedures. It is not difficult for us. They will definitely do better than what you expect.
What is your advice to the first-time legislators?
They must go to the [Assembly] library and read. In the Assembly, whatever the procedure is, they must follow it. They should come to the Assembly on time, sit till the end, and listen to the speakers. They should not become violent when the opposition attacks the leader or speaks against the ruling party.
Your first major responsibility as Speaker will be overseeing the floor test on Wednesday….
The proceedings will be conducted smoothly and exceed expectations.
As you assume charge, the 47 AIADMK legislators appear to be sharply divided over the election of their Legislature Party Leader….
Yes. One team headed by [AIADMK general secretary] Edappadi.K. Palaniswami and another team headed by [rebel] S.P. Velumani, both have given letters to me, separately.
How many MLAs are supporting each of the groups?
The letters are on the Speaker’s table. But as the Speaker, I cannot divulge any further information to you now.
What sort of decision can we expect on those letters?
I can’t say anything about that now as the floor test is scheduled.
Do you have any changes in mind with regard to the conduct of House proceedings?
No. We will continue to follow the same Assembly conventions and procedures.
There has long been a demand for the live telecast of Assembly proceedings. Would you be open to considering such a move?
We will have a meeting of all legislature party leaders and then take a call on it.
The rendition of Tamil Thai Vazhthu as the third song during the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister and his Cabinet has sparked controversy…
The Minister [Aadhav Arjuna] has already given a detailed explanation to it.
But in the past instances, then Governor R.N. Ravi insisted on rendering the National Anthem at the beginning of the Assembly proceedings during the Governor’s Address. What convention would you follow now?
We will have to wait and see. So far, we have not taken any decision on that. Soon a decision will be taken. Before the Governor’s Address, we will make a decision.
From being a legislator representing the AIADMK, to now becoming the Speaker after being elected on a TVK ticket, how do you view your political journey?
I have been in politics since 1972. I joined the AIADMK when I was a student at Loyola College. Being the secretary of the Loyola College Students Union, I met Puratchi Thalaivar MGR [M.G. Ramachandran] in 1973 with a request that I was going to start a noon meal scheme for 16 poor boys at Loyola College. He asked me, “Did I come to college to study, and why am I taking up this matter?” I said, when I am the secretary of the Students Union and 16 people ask me for noon meal, how do you think I will study or sleep? He looked at me curiously and told K.A. Krishnasamy [AIADMK frontline leader], “Look at him. He has got a very great future.” He said it was a very good initiative and that he would fund it. I told MGR I had come only to invite him to a Star Night programme through which I could raise some money. He said he would give ₹10,000 and also come for the function. That was the day when Puratchi Thalaivar identified me and groomed me for politics. I became a councillor of Ambattur in 1978. I became an MLA in 1980, when it was the toughest election the AIADMK could face because the government was dissolved by Madam Gandhi [Indira Gandhi], at the instance of Kalaignar [M. Karunanidhi], for no reason. Kalaignar and Madam Gandhi had won 37 seats in the Parliament election in 1980. MGR went to the public and asked, “What mistake or harm did I do? Why should they dissolve my government?”He came back to power, and I contested from the Villivakkam constituency, a huge Assembly segment which had a large number of voters, which has now been divided into six constituencies. I won the election. I was district secretary for 17 constituencies in Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu. Later, he made me State youth wing secretary in 1985. From then on, until his demise, I occupied this position. When Madam [J. Jayalalithaa] took over [reins of the party], my relationship with her was very smooth, and she depended on my services to the party at every level. We used to sit and discuss matters relating to the executive committee and general council. In fact, the 1989 parliamentary election tickets were finalised by Madam and me. She took me into confidence and discussed with me every stage of the tenure when Kalaignar was the Chief Minister. Then I fell from her grace due to some reasons unknown both to her and to me in 1990. I was removed along with S. Thirunavukkarasu, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Karuppasamy Pandian, S.D. Ugamchand, and Tiruppur Manimaran, who had all supported her. We were removed one fine morning. Then, I never joined any other party. In fact, Kalaignar sent an emissary. Madurai Mayor Patturajan came to my house in the morning on the day the removal was announced in the papers. He said, “I am coming from Kalaignar’s house.” Kalaignar wanted me, from among the list of people who were expelled, to join the DMK. But that day, my wife and I discussed it and decided on no more politics. When Madam could keep me so close and suddenly remove me without even questioning what was happening, I decided not to join any political party. For five years, I concentrated only on sports. In 1996, Mr. Moopanar [Congress leader and TMC founderG.K. Moopanar] came to Ambattur for a wedding and asked me what I was doing. I said I was not in politics and was concentrating on sports activities such as chess and table tennis. He said I was a young man with a bright future and asked me to come and meet him. When I met him, it was Congress in the morning and Tamil Maanila Congress in the evening. He made me his political secretary. He treated me very well. Then, after his demise, I was not very happy with the way they all joined Congress. I did not involve myself in politics for some years. Then again, in 2008, I rejoined the AIADMK. She (Jayalalithaa) made me the Minority Wing deputy secretary. Then she gave me an MLA ticket to contest from Villivakkam in 2011, when I defeated Professor K. Anbazhagan, a great DMK leader. Later on, she made me Chairman of SIDCO. I served for three years. She made me contest against [former Chief Minister] M.K. Stalin in 2016. That was not a fruitful election. Later, after her demise, I was on the 11-member Steering Committee of the AIADMK. I was the AIADMK’s spokesperson. But again, there was a split when Mr. OPS [O. Panneerselvam] was unceremoniously removed from the coordinator post. I objected to it. I joined Mr. OPS. But I was not very comfortable. He is a good man, but he lacked leadership qualities. So, I waited.I found leadership qualities in Mr. Vijay [Chief Minister], which I liked. The way he conducted himself, treated the party cadre, and ran the Makkal Iyakkam even long before he came to power… all that he did for the people attracted me.I felt that for a long time, people had been longing for a leader like MGR. I found that he was the right person. I joined his party. And by God’s grace, he gave me a seat in Thousand Lights. I won by a majority of 15,000 votes. It was not for me. It was only for him because people wanted a change. People wanted Mr. Vijay to be the Chief Minister. That’s why they voted, and that’s how I won. Now he has identified me [to be the Speaker] because only a few members were experienced. [Senior leader] Mr. Sengottaiyan chose to become a Minister. Then my leader said that I should be the Speaker. I agreed. I am so happy that people are with our leader. He wants to do good for the people. On the very first day itself, he met all the opposition leaders. He wants to provide a clean government.
