CHENNAI: The Assembly witnessed uproarious scenes on Thursday with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa asking DMK president M.Karunanidhi not to attempt to divert people's attention by levelling charges relating to damages suffered by some bridges constructed by the present regime and the Speaker ordering the eviction of all the DMK MLAs.

The PMK, Congress, CPI and CPI (M) staged a walkout on the issue.

Intervening in the debate on motion of thanks to the Governor's address, Ms. Jayalalithaa said Mr. Karunanidhi had made the allegations following her announcement of an enquiry into the damage caused to a bridge across the Amaravathi within five years of its construction.

Charge contested

Disputing Mr. Karunanidhi's claim that a bridge across the Uppanar near Singarathope, built at a cost of Rs. 6 crore had collapsed at the construction stage itself, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the construction work began on September 24, 2000, during the DMK rule. The actual construction cost was Rs. 4.07 crore.

Referring to another charge made by Mr. Karunanidhi, she said along with the construction of a bridge on the North Poyyur-Akkaraipettai road in Nagapattinam district at an estimated cost of Rs.10.80 crore, works related to construction of five minor bridges across the Kaduvayar in the backwaters, 100 metres from the coastline, were taken up on July 18, 2003.

Two of these bridges were damaged due to floods in October 2004 and later badly damaged during the tsunami. The cost of these two bridges was only Rs.37.40 lakh.

The contractor was made to return R.16.50 lakh. Subsequently, the Government decided to go in for a 24.60 metre-long bridge with two spans at a cost of Rs.1.57 crore and floated tenders, she said.

On the construction of a bridge connecting Thozhuvalur and Karaiyendal taken up on September 29, 2004 at a cost of Rs. 1.64 crore, the Chief Minister said only approach roads on either side were affected due to floods in the Vaigai on November 20, 2005.

She also denied Mr. Karunanidhi's charge that a bridge constructed in Lakshmipuram in Tiruvallur district at a cost of Rs. 5.50 crore two years ago had collapsed.

When Ms. Jayalalithaa referred to the discrepancy between the utterances of Mr. Karunanidhi and his own party men on the Singarathope bridge, DMK deputy leader in the House, Durai Murugan, and the area MLA and DMK whip, E. Pugazhendhi, stood up and wanted to explain.

Speaker's warning

Speaker K. Kalimuthu refused permission. At this, all DMK members were on their feet, shouting. Mr. Kalimuthu warned them that they would be evicted. The DMK members did not relent. Initially, the Speaker ordered the eviction of Mr. Durai Murugan.

Later, DMK south Chennai secretary J. Anbazhagan was on his feet demanding that the Speaker call the evicted member back. The Speaker wanted the member to resume his seat.

The DMK members were on their feet again raising slogans against the Speaker. After a warning, the Speaker ordered their eviction.

The PMK and the Congress staged a walkout later after their request to call back the DMK members was rejected.

Radhapuram MLA Appavoo, who won as an Independent and recently joined the DMK, was not evicted. Mr. Kalimuthu made it a point to ask him if he still remained an Independent MLA.

Mr. Appavoo later staged a walkout with the Left parties and the Congress after the CPI leader G. Palanichamy's request for more time to speak was turned down.

The Congress staged a walkout after its member C. Gnanasekharan was not allowed to raise a point of order and later, when they were not permitted to defend Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

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