Will Governor convene Assembly, asks Stalin

Joining issue with Governor Banwarilal Purohit on his meeting with officers, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam working president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday asked whether the Governor would convene the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on similar lines and test the strength of the ‘minority’ government headed by Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

Speaking to reporters at the airport here, he said that the Governor had stated that he acted as per the Constitution and that there was no deviation or overstepping the administration as claimed by the Opposition.

Agreeing for argument sake that the Governor had not violated or overstepped his role in his recent interaction with officials in Coimbatore, Mr. Stalin asked whether the Governor would apply the same yardstick and convene the Assembly to test the strength as the government had ‘lost’ its majority.

Should the issue of ‘minority’ government not be viewed as Constitutional and legal by the Governor and order a floor test in the House, he said.

The Raj Bhavan had in a press release clarified that there was nothing illegal or unconstitutional and that the Governor “will continue such efforts in Tamil Nadu to fulfill his responsibilities”.

Mr. Stalin addressed a public meeting in Tirunelveli district and was returning to Chennai.