A day after AIADMK-Amma’s “ousted” deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran demonstrated the support of 20 MLAs at the public meeting in Melur, Forest Minister and party treasurer Dindigul C. Srinivasan sprang a surprise by saying that the Edappadi K. Palaniswami government was short of majority by two legislators but will manage to get the required support. However, he did not explain the arithmetic that led him to believe that only 115 MLAs were backing the ruling party.
Mr. Srinivasan, who participated in a mass feeding programme at a temple in Triplicane, was besieged by journalists who wanted to know if the government was in a crisis following Mr. Dhinakaran’s show of strength. Responding he said, “There is no change at all. The Edappadi Palaniswami government is functioning efficiently providing good administration. For those who believe in this, it is fine. We can’t answer those who don’t trust this.”
As for the numbers in the Assembly, the Minister said: “You know that 117 (MLAs) is required for absolute majority in the House (of 233). You are saying that 20 are there (with Mr. Dhinakaran). Now, we have 115 MLAs. Wouldn’t two more come from somewhere?”
He hinted that to manage the support of two MLAs, the ruling party would go to any extent. Asked if he meant that they could be bought over, he quickly interjected, “no, not through money but by affection.”
Threat to Jaya’s dream
Separately, Finance Minister D. Jayakumar said that anyone [in the party] thinking of destroying Jayalalithaa’s dream of the AIADMK ruling Tamil Nadu for a 100 years will be considered a traitor. He denied that legislators supporting Mr. Dhinakaran were abducted on Monday to prevent them from attending the public meeting in Melur.
In a related development, Kunnam legislator Ramachandran hit out at Mr. Dhinakaran, saying only the selfish interests of the Sasikala family were responsible for Jayalalithaa’s imprisonment.
Referring to Mr. Dhinakaran’s public speech where he sought to declare himself as Jayalalithaa’s heir, Mr. Ramachandran said the former could only be Sasikala’s heir. “ Mr. Dhinakaran in fact said that none from the Sasikala family except him would be in the party. But now he has baptised Jeyanandh Dhivakaran [in Melur]. Isn’t this family rule?” he wondered.
Meanwhile, at a temple in Thiruverkadu, where a mass feeding programme was held, Avadi MLA Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan, who is in the AIADMK (PTA), had a one-hour meeting with Ministers C. Vijaya Baskar and Benjamin. It is believed that the three discussed facilitating the merger of the ruling party with the AIADMK (PTA).
“If the demand for ordering a judicial inquiry into Jayalalithaa’s death is agreed to, then the merger talks could proceed,” Mr. Pandiarajan said.
