Scaling up its attack, a joint delegation of the Opposition parties, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has sought an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind to seek his intervention in Tamil Nadu and to complain against Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao's role.
The delegation will have Congress, CPI, CPI (M) and Indian Union Muslim League leaders.
On Sunday, a delegation led by DMK working President M.K. Stalin had called on the Governor, demanding an immediate floor test. Chief Minister E Palaniswamy’s government enjoys the support of only 113 MLAs including the Speaker in a 234-member Assembly and is therefore in minority, Mr Stalin told the Governor.
“The Governor should have acted a long time back. 19 MLAs have individually handed him letter(s) demanding ouster of present Chief Minister E. Palaniswamy. So it is constitutionally his responsibility to convene a special session asking the government to prove majority,” DMK Rajya Sabha MP, Tiruchi Siva told The Hindu .
DMK is moving in with alacrity also because it fears 20 of its MLAs could be disqualified by Assembly’s Privileges Committee for waving tobacco packets in the Assembly last month. If DMK legislators are disqualified before the floor test then the ruling faction will have an edge. The committee met today in Chennai.
“As such there is no government in Tamil Nadu. AIADMK is so busy keeping their government intact that they have stopped even talking about people of Tamil Nadu and their problems,” Mr Siva added.
Two more legislators have joined the TTV Dinakaran faction, pushing the AIADMK government into further turmoil. “The photograph of Governor making leaders of two AIADMK factions (E Palaniswamy and O Paneerselvam) to shake hands and trying to mediate a patch was improper by itself. The Governor’s role is suspect. In such a scenario who else do we complain other than President,” CPI MP D Raja said.
Even in the Parliament, there are many divisions within the AIADMK. The party has 37 MPs in Lok Sabha and 13 in Rajya Sabha. Five MPs had attended TTV Dinakaran’s Melur rally. If he goes to the Election Commission demanding control of the party, then these MPs are likely to side with him. Another significant section of MPs, especially those who owe their ascent in party to Sasikala, are not happy with the proposal to oust her.
“When government’s majority is clearly in doubt and the opposition too have demanded for a floor test, then why is the Governor stonewalling it?” Congress leader Anand Sharma questioned.
