DMK wants TN Gov to act within a week on floor test demand

DMK leader M K Stalin today called on Tamil Nadu Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao and urged him to direct the state government to prove its majority in the assembly within a week, in view of rebellion by a section of ruling AIADMK Amma legislators.

Emerging from the meeting with Rao at the Raj Bhavan here, the DMK working president said if the governor did not act on their plea within a week, the party would take legal recourse and also approach "people's court".

"We are hopeful that he (governor) will convene the assembly session. If he does not take steps in a week's time, we will approach the court and also people's court. I have informed this to him," he told reporters here.
 

Stalin was accompanied by leaders of allied parties Congress and IUML.

He said as the leader of opposition in the state assembly, he had urged the governor to convene the session based on a request by MLAs loyal to sidelined AIADMK Amma Deputy General Secretary T T V Dhinakaran.

"...I have requested the governor to convene the assembly session so that the ruling AIADMK can prove its majority," he said.

Stalin had earlier written two letters to the governor on the issue after 19 pro-Dhinakaran MLAs met Rao and expressed lack of confidence in the chief minister on August 22.

The revolt by the MLAs came a day after the merger of the factions led by Palaniswami and former chief minister O Panneerselvam.

Delegations of DMK, Congress and Left parties had already called on the governor and pressed for a floor test for the Palaniswami government.

Dhinakaran had last week met Rao and sought replacement of Palaniswami, who, however, had been asserting that his government had the requisite majority and none could topple it.

Stalin claimed that the Palaniswami government was having lesser number of MLAs supporting it in the 234-member assembly with one vacancy.

"The DMK has 89 MLAs, Congress eight and IUML one in the assembly totalling 98 MLAs, plus 21 MLAs from the T T V Dhinakaran camp...The total is 119, which is higher than the 114 MLAs who support the Palaniswami government," he reasoned.

Asserting that today's meeting with the governor would be the last on the matter, Stalin said he had informed Rao that he would take legal steps if no measure was taken by him on the DMK's demand.