The Edappadi K. Palaniswami government in Tamil Nadu is six short of the required 117 MLAs for a simple majority in the Assembly as per the admission of senior minister D. Jayakumar, a prominent face of the faction headed by the Chief Minister.
Mr. Jayakumar on Tuesday told journalists that 111 MLAs had attended the first meeting of the ‘unified’ AIADMK (Amma, PTA) Legislature Party convened by Mr. Palaniswami at the party headquarters here. Besides, the Fisheries Minister claimed Peravurani MLA M. Govindarasu had cited illness as the reason for not being able to attend.
Apart from 21 MLAs owing allegiance to sidelined party leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, three legislators belonging to alliance partners – S. Karunaas (Thiruvadanai); M. Thamimun Ansari (Nagapattinam); and U. Thaniyarasu (Kangeyam), all of whom were elected on an AIADMK ticket – did not turn up at the meeting.
Soon after Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar admitted that only 111 legislators had attended the AIADMK Legislature Party meeting on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition and DMK leader M K Stalin pointed out that it proved his party’s stand that the ruling party has lost majority in the Assembly. Any delay in conducting a floor test would pave way for horse trading, he reiterated.
“It is our demand that the Governor should direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority in the House. If the Governor allowed continuation of horse trading, it will prove beyond doubt that the BJP-led government at the Centre is performing the role of ring master. If the Governor fails in his duty, we will meet again and decide the next course of action,” Mr Stalin said.
Separately, AIADMK sidelined deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran seized on the opportunity and sought an appointment with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to meet him on the afternoon of September 7 with dissident MLAs and MPs who are backing his faction.
Incidentally, though Chief Minister Palaniswami’s supporters insisted that 111 legislators had attended Tuesday’s meeting, it appeared that the number of participants could not have been more than 109. Given the total strength of 134 of the AIADMK (excluding Speaker P. Dhanapal), the absence of 21 pro-Dhinakaran MLAs and three allies brought down the figure to 110. If one were to leave out the Peravurani legislator who did not attend the meeting, the number would be 109. Yet, Mr. Jayakumar insisted that 111 legislators had signed the attendance register.
At the meeting, the legislators decided to rally behind Mr. Palaniswami and “wholeheartedly” abide by all decisions of the Chief Minister, said a release of the party.
Two notable participants of the meeting were Thoppu N.D. Venkatachalam (Perundurai) and M. Chandraprabha (Srivilliputhur). While Mr Venkatachalam, three months ago, complained of neglect by the Palaniswami regime, Ms Chandraprabha was once regarded as a member of the Dhinakaran camp.
Mr. Jayakumar claimed the support of the three allies and nine MLAs belonging to the Dhinakaran camp, who, according to the Minister, had contacted Mr. Palaniswami over phone to extend their support to him. But, Mr Jayakumar’s statement on nine legislators willing to back Mr. Palaniswami was dismissed by the Dhinakaran camp.
While Mr. Thaniyarasu (Kongu Ilaignar Peravai) told a Tamil television channel that he continued to support Mr. Palaniswami, Nagapattinam legislator M. Thamimun Ansari said he was neither with Mr. Palaniswami nor with Mr Dhinakaran and was critical of the State government on the issue of National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) for medical courses. “Mr. Karunaas (Thiruvadanai MLA) is also endorsing my stand,” Mr. Ansari told The Hindu . Mr Karunaas was not available for comment, despite several efforts to reach him.
Meanwhile, Perambur MLA Vetrivel said the strength of the legislators now supporting Mr. Dhinakaran would rise to 35 soon.
