CHENNAI: Even as the unified AIADMK has been weighing all the ways and means to thwart the bid of dissenting MLAs backing TTV Dhinakaran to trouble the government, an Opposition delegation led by Deputy Leader of Opposition and DMK principal secretary Durai Murugan called on Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, urging him to immediately order a floor test.
Claiming that the strength of government led by Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami in the Assembly has been reduced to 113, Durai Murugan asked the Governor to act within a "time frame".
Durai Murugan said they had brought to the notice of the Governor that he had ordered a floor test within 15 days after the swearing in of Edappadi Palaniswami as Chief Minister in February even though the split in AIADMK was not as much bigger as it is now and urged him to order a floor test again.
“OPS had the support of only nine members when the Governor ordered floor test within 15 days after Edappadi took over as Chief Minister. The split then was not as big as now. We questioned him how Edappadi can be allowed to continue,” Durai Murugan told reporters after visiting Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan. He added that the Governor had assured the delegation of action as per law.
Durai Murugan said, “The Governor informed us that he was aware of the developments as reports reached him and said he will take action as per the law.”
Sidelined AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran continued to surprise the official faction on Sunday by removing Palaniswami as party Salem rural district secretary.
The number of MLAs in Dhinakaran’s kitty rose to 23 on Sunday, when Chandraprabha, representing Srivilliputhur, joined the rebel ranks; but the scale tilted as an oscillating AK Bose, representing Tiruparankuntram, made a somersault saying he was with EPS.
The CM is holding a meeting of the party’s top honchos on Monday to fix the date for the general council to seal the fate of interim general secretary VK Sasikala.
The Privileges Committee of the Assembly will also meet to decide upon the punishment for the DMK members on the charges of breach of privilege committed through sneaking gutkha products into the House, but it is not sure whether it can pass an order with the change of equations in the panel.