Chennai | Long after O Paneerselvam was expelled from the AIADMK, R B Udhayakumar was on Wednesday allotted the seat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly earmarked for the deputy floor leader of the main opposition party, in the front row of the opposition benches.

Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who was occupying that seat till now was allotted a seat in a back bench.

After Panneerselvam's (OPS) expulsion from the AIADMK in 2022, the party had picked Udhayakumar, a former minister, as its deputy leader in the house.

The change in seating came a day after Chief Minister M K Stalin urged Speaker M Appavu to again consider the AIADMK's request to allot the seat of deputy leader of opposition to Udhayakumar.

The AIADMK MLA duly occupied the seat today.

The deputy floor leader's seat is beside that of Leader of Opposition (AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami) and directly faces the chief minister's seat in the treasury benches.

Sources said that the seating has been rearranged and that former chief minister Panneerselvam has been allocated another seat in a back bench.

Till his expulsion, OPS held the post of AIADMK deputy floor leader.

Even after being removed from the opposition party, OPS continued to sit beside Edappadi Palaniswami, also a former chief minister, in the seat meant for deputy leader in the house.

The AIADMK had repeatedly requested Speaker Appavu to change the seating arrangements and allot Udhayakumar the deputy leader's seat in the front row.