With eyes on TTV Dinakaran’s reaction to the merger of OPS-EPS factions of the AIADMK, DMK Rajya Sabha MP T.K.S Elangovan on Monday said that his party is not in a hurry to move a no-confidence motion.
Speaking to The Hindu just hours after the merger of AIADMK (Amma) and AIADMK (Purachi Thalavi Amma) factions was announced Mr. Elangovan said that it is an “unnatural alliance” imposed by BJP on the two sides.
“We want to ask what prompted O. Panneerselvam and E. Palaniswamy who were throwing mud at each other to suddenly come together,” he said.
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Questioning the timing of Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao's visit to Chennai hours before the merger, Mr. Elangavan alleged that he was acting as per the BJP's directions.
He however clarified that the DMK will not move a no-confidence motion immediately. The party is patiently watching Mr. Dhinakaran to see how he reacts to the merger.
“We are no in any hurry to move a no-confidence motion. If at all such a move will be issue-based. There are enough failures of this government from NEET to ignoring drought hit farmers,” he said.
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'DMK not to 'poach' MLAs'
Mr. Elangovan said that the DMK is not trying to poach any MLAs from the ruling dispensation. “We are carefully avoiding them. We want to play it straight,” he added.
His colleague and Rajya Sabha MP M. Kanimozhi said that the merger is not to the benefit people of Tamil Nadu but is only to serve the “power-hungry” leaders of AIADMK she said.
CPI MP D. Raja, who was elected to Rajya Sabha with the support of AIADMK, questioned on what prompted O Paneerselvam who has served thrice as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to accept Deputy Chief Minister’s post. The alliance is no way assures stability, Mr. Raja said. “Ever since former CM J Jayalalitha’s demise, BJP has been fishing in the troubled waters", he said.
CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat too branded the alliance as “opportunistic”. “The opportunistic decision by the two factions, at the behest of BJP, will be rejected by the people of Tamil Nadu,” he said.