In yet another twist to the script of the political drama staged in Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, leader of the Opposition who is also the working president of the DMK, claimed that the Opposition has 119 MlAs while Chief Minister Edappady Palaniswami has the support of only 114 MlAs. Stalin, who met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on Sunday evening accompanied by the leaders of other alliance partners, submitted a memorandum in which he alleged that the Governor not directing a floor test was breeding a grave suspicion as to the impartiality of his functioning.
Stalin’s figures are based on the number of MlAs who attended the AIADMK legislature party early this week held at Chennai. He said that 19 MlAs belonging to the TTV Dinakaran faction had submitted a memorandum to the Governor withdrawing support to the Chief Minister. “The legislature party meeting convened by Chief Minister had only 111 MlAs. There are 21 MlAs in the Dinakaran camp. If we add up 21 rebel MlAs to the 98 MlAs in the Opposition, we will have 119 MlAs which is more than the 114 MlAs in the Chief Minister’s camp. Hence he has lost majority in the House,” said Stalin while speaking to reporters after his meeting with the Governor.
But Dinakaran, the deputy general secretary of the AIADMK (Amma) faction, has made it clear time and again that he would in no way be responsible for the downfall of the Palaniswami Government. “Our demand is that both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam be removed from the Government. We do not have any other demand,” Dinakaran has been telling since the stand-off started between the two factions.
Stalin had declared on Friday at Tiruchi that he would strive hard to dislodge the Palaniswami Government through a people’s movement if the Governor fails to ask the Chief Minister to seek a trust vote in the House.