DMK's M Appavu set to be elected Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker

CHENNAI: The DMK is going to nominate Radhapuram MLA M Appavu for the speaker of the state’s 16th Assembly. 

If elected, Appavu would be the ninth Speaker of the Assembly from the south Tamil Nadu and the fifth Speaker from the Tirunelveli district.

M Appavu, a four-term MLA, has been elected from Radhapuram in the Tirunelveli district. The DMK chose Appavu as the post of Speaker needs experience in the house proceedings and rich knowledge on the rules and regulations to conduct the Assembly proceedings.

Considering his seniority and personal calibre of handling the issues with acumen, the party has chosen him, sources said. A party leader in the close circle of Appavu also confirmed the development.

Appavu was elected to the Assembly in 1996 from the Radhapuram assembly constituency by the TMC (M) ticket. He won the seat under the DMK-TMC(M) alliance. Later, he won the same seat as an Independent candidate in the 2001 assembly elections. He had left the TMC(M) following the party’s decision to align with AIADMK. 
Later, he joined DMK and contested from the same constituency in 2006 and won.

In 2016, he lost the constituency to the AIADMK candidate by 49 votes. He challenged the poll results in the court which is now pending in the Supreme court.

Meanwhile, the DMK decided to nominate former minister K Pitchandi for the post of Deputy Speaker. He has been appointed as a pro-term Speaker to administer the oath to the newly-elected members of the 16th Assembly.