Former CM quits panel membership

PUDUCHERRY: Opposition leader V Vaithilingam on Sunday announced that he has quit his membership of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the UT.Speaker V Sabapathy violated the normal conventions and acted arbitrarily by announcing the formation of the PAC and the Estimate Committee on the floor of the Assembly, the former CM told journalists at a press meet here.Vaithilingam said he opted out of the panel as a mark of protest. “I have submitted a letter to the Speaker (stating that) I quit the membership of the PAC to register my protest,” he said.As per norm, the PAC is headed by the Opposition leader (leader of the second largest party) and this convention was violated, Vaithilingam charged.The Speaker had announced that the panel would be led by an independent MLA (V M C Sivakumar).