The uncertainty associated with the fate of Edappadi Palaniswami Government in Tamil Nadu remained unresolved inspite of the claim by the Chief Minister’s camp that 111 MlAs attended the legislature party meeting of the AIADMK held on Tuesday.
The one-hour meeting saw the unanimous adoption of a resolution reposing faith in the leadership of Palaniswami who is facing a revolt by 19 MlAs who had submitted letters to the Governor in which they said that they do not trust the Chief Minister.
D Jayakumar, Fisheries Minister and senior aide to Palaniswami, told journalists after the meeting that 111 out of the 134 AIADMK MlAs attended the meeting. “Some MlAs belonging to the rebel camp called the Chief Minister over telephone and extended their support to him. A resolution was adopted unanimously in the meeting reposing faith in the Chief Minister. Three independent MlAs who got elected to the House on the AIADMK symbol too expressed their support to Palaniswami,” said Jayakumar.
But the rebel camp led by TTV Dinakaran scoffed at the figures released by Jayakumar. “The AIADMK has 134 members in the 234-member Tamil Nadu House. One seat is vacant while the Speaker did not attend the meeting. We have 21 MlAs with us and none of them would support Palaniswami,” said Thanga Tamil Selvan, MlA who is a close associate of Dinakaran. Tamil Selvan said that Palaniswami was short of seven MlAs and was heading a minority Government.
S Semmalai, the senior most AIADMK MlA who is also a former Minister, told The Pioneer after the meeting that there was no threat to the Palaniswami Government. “The fact that 111 MlAs attended the legislature party meeting is a good development. The truth is that no one in the ruling party or in the Opposition wants to impose an election at this juncture. There is no threat to the Government as on date,” said Semmalai.
It may be remembered that Semmalai was the first senior MlA who demanded that the legislature party meeting be convened at the earliest so that all differences of opinions could be sorted out. The Pioneer was the only newspaper to publish the suggestion made by Semmalai. The senior leader who was the Pro-term Speaker of the present House who is credited with swearing in late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa as the member immediately after the 2016 Assembly election said there were differences in the party. “But these differences would not affect the stability of the Government. You should bear in mind that TTV Dinakaran is also a member of the AIADMK and he would not do anything detrimental to the party or the government which it heads,” said Semmalai.
The senior AIADMK leader said that even the leader of the opposition would not dare to bring in a no trust motion at this juncture as the latter is aware of the futility of such an effort.
But senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy told The Pioneer that Palaniswami has lost the right to govern and he should submit his resignation at the earliest. “It is evident from the legislature party meeting held today that he does not have the numbers. let Sasikala nominate a new person as the Chief Minister. Palaniswami should go,” said Swamy.