New Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar, a seasoned politician, assured The Hindu that Wednesday’s floor test where Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has to prove his majority will go smoothly and exceed expectations. He admitted that he had received letters from two rival groups of the AIADMK.
You are taking up the position of chairman at a time when the ruling TVK does not have an independent majority in the House of Representatives and the opposition is also numerically strong. How do you propose to navigate your role?
It is by God’s grace that Mr. Vijay has won. Our leader will prove his majority on Wednesday. So I don’t see any challenge.
While you bring significant legislative experience, most members are first-time legislators with limited access to Assembly procedures and rules. Do you foresee any challenges on this front? Would you organize an orientation for them?
Yes. An orientation program for first-time legislators will be prepared soon. I’m sure all the youngsters will catch on very easily. They are very bright and understand whenever we talk to them. They understand the procedures. It is not difficult for us. They will definitely do better than you expect.
What is your advice for first-time legislators?
He must go to the library (Assembly) and read. At the meeting, whatever the procedure, it must be followed. They should come to the meeting on time, sit until the end and listen to the speakers. They should not be violent when the opposition attacks the leader or speaks against the ruling party.
Your first major duty as speaker will be to oversee Wednesday’s floor test….
Driving will be smooth and will exceed expectations.
As you take charge, the 47 AIADMK legislators seem to be sharply divided over the choice of their legislature party leader….
Yes. One team led by (AIADMK general secretary) Edappadi. K. Palaniswami and another team led by (rebel) SP Velumani both sent me letters, separately.
How many MLAs support each of the groups?
The letters are on the lectern. But as a spokesperson, I can’t give you any more information right now.
What decision can we expect regarding these letters?
I can’t say anything about it now because the floor test is scheduled.
Do you have any changes in mind regarding the course of parliamentary proceedings?
No. We will continue to follow the same assembly conventions and procedures.
There has long been a demand for live telecasting of assembly proceedings. Would you be open to considering such a move?
We will arrange a meeting of all the chairmen of the legislative parties and then we will call 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 explained this in detail.
But on past occasions, the then Governor RN Ravi had insisted that the National Anthem be played at the start of the assembly proceedings during the Governor’s address. Which convention would you follow now?
We’ll have to wait and see. We haven’t decided on that yet. A decision will be made soon. We will make a decision before the governor’s speech.
How do you view your political journey from being a legislator representing the AIADMK to being elected to the TVK to now becoming the chairman?
I have been in politics since 1972. I joined the AIADMK when I was a student at Loyola College. As secretary of Loyola College Students’ Union, I met Puratchi Thalaivar MGR (MG Ramachandran) in 1973 with a request to start mid-day meals for 16 underprivileged boys at Loyola College. He asked me: “You came to study at the university and why are you doing this?” I replied, “If I’m the Student Union secretary and 16 people ask me for lunch, how do you think I’m going to study or sleep?”
He looked at me curiously and said to KA Krishnasamy (AIADMK frontline leader), “Look at him. He has a very bright future.” He said it was a great initiative and he would fund it. I told MGR that I had only come to invite him to the Starry Night program through which I could collect some money. He said he would give ₹10,000 and also attend the event. That was the day Puratchi Thalaivar identified me and prepared me for politics.
I became an Ambattur councilor in 1978 and an MLA in 1980 during a tough AIADMK election as the government was dissolved by Madam Gandhi (Indira Gandhi) on Kalaignar’s request. After they won 37 parliamentary seats, MGR went public and asked, “What mistake or harm have I done? Why should they dissolve my government?” He returned to power and I contested and won from the Villivakkam constituency, which has since been divided into six.
I was the district secretary for 17 constituencies in Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. Later in 1985, he made me the state secretary of the youth wing. From then until his death, I held this position.
When Madam (J. Jayalalithaa) took over (the reins of the party), my relationship with her was very smooth and she depended on my services to the party at all levels. We used to meet and discuss matters concerning the Executive Committee and the General Council. In fact, the tickets for the 1989 parliamentary elections were finalized by Mrs. and myself. She took me into confidence and discussed with me every phase of Kalaignar’s tenure as Chief Minister. Then I fell from her grace for some reasons unknown to both her and me in 1990. I was removed along with S. Thirunavukkarasu, KKSSR Ramachandran, Karuppasamy Pandian, SD Ugamchand and Tiruppur Manimaran who all supported her. One fine morning we were removed. After that 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 newspaper. He said, “I come from Kalaignar’s house.” Kalaignar wanted me to join the DMK from the excluded list. But that day my wife and I discussed it and decided not to do politics anymore. When Madam could keep me so close and suddenly remove me without even asking what was going on, I decided not to join any political party. For five years I focused only on sports.
In 1996, Mr. Moopanar (Congress leader and TMC founder GK Moopanar) came to Ambattur for a wedding and asked me what I was doing. I said that I am not in politics and concentrate on sports activities like 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 death, I was not very happy with the way everyone joined the Congress. I have not been involved in politics for several years. I rejoined AIADMK in 2008. She (Jayalalithaa) made me the deputy secretary of the minority wing. Then the MLA gave me a ticket to contest from Villivakkam in 2011 when I defeated Prof. K. Anbazhagan, a great DMK leader. She later made me chairman of SIDCO. I served for three years. In 2016, she made me fight against (former chief minister) MK Stalin. It was not a fruitful election.
Later, after its demise, I was in the 11-member managing committee of the AIADMK. I was the spokesperson of AIADMK. But again there was a split when Mr. OPS (O. Panneerselvam) was unceremoniously removed from the post of coordinator. I argued against it. I joined Mr. OPS. But I wasn’t very comfortable. He is a good person but lacked leadership skills. So I waited. I found leadership qualities in Mr. Vijay (Chief Minister) which I liked. The way he behaved, treated the party cadre and led the Makkal Iyakkam long before he came to power… everything he did for the people attracted me. I felt that people have longed for a leader like MGR for a long time. I found him to be the right person. I joined his party.
And by God’s grace he gave me a place at Thousand Lights. I won mostly by 15,000 votes. It wasn’t 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, so I won. Now he identified me (as a speaker) because only a few members were experienced. (Senior leader) Mr. Sengottaiyan decided to become a minister. Then my leader said I should be the speaker. I agreed. I am so happy that the people are with our leader. He wants to do good for people. He met all the opposition leaders on the very first day. He wants to ensure a clean government.
