Stalin claims 22 AIADMK MLAs have withdrawn support, demands trust vote in TN Assembly

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) acting president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday claimed that 22 MLAs have withdrawn their support given to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Chief Minister Edapadi K. Palanisamy (EPS).

In a press release, Stalin said that Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao has received identical letters from 22 MLAs expressing "lack of confidence" on EPS.

"An unprecedented constitutional crisis has erupted in which the present government headed by Chief Minister EPS has lost the majority," Stalin said.

He further wrote that any inordinate delay in asking the Chief Minister to prove his majority in the case will pave the way for continuance of an "unconstitutional" government and will destabilise the democratic norms and precedents established in demonstrating the confidence of the House.

The DMK leader further asked the EPS government to prove their majority in the Tamil Nadu assembly in a trust vote.

"As a leader of the opposition, I therefore request the Governor to direct EPS to prove his majority in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly immediately," he said.

Stalin, while earlier talking to the media, had said, "My information is that three more AIADMK MLAs have also withdrawn support, making the count of resigned MLAs to 22 MLAs in total. We demand a trust vote."

Earlier today, it was reported that nineteen MLAs had revoked their support given to EPS, a day after he and former TN chief minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) joined hands and reworked the 'power-sharing deal'.