Governor may fuel Tamil Nadu govt floor test

As uncertainty looms large over Tamil Nadu politics following the revolt of 19 dissident MLAs owing allegiance to sidelined deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran against Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami, in-charge Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao is in the limelight again as the demand for a floor test for the AIADMK government is gaining momentum.

Maharashtra Governor Rao, who holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu, will arrive in Chennai on Saturday and is expected to take a call on the opposition demand for trust vote. After swearing-in O. Panneerselvam and K Pandiarajan as deputy CM and education minister respectively hours after the merger of the two rival factions of the AIADMK on Monday, Rao left for Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon. He met the 19 dissident MLAs before that and handed over identical letters seeking to withdraw support to Palanisami. He also met Panneerselvam loyalist and Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan who termed the meeting as a courtesy call.

Leader of Opposition and DMK working president MK Stalin urged the Governor to immediately direct Palanisami to prove his majority in the Assembly since the delay could lead to horse trading. Stalin, who had earlier this week written to the governor seeking a floor test, dubbed the Palaniswamy regime as a "minority government". He also questioned assembly Speaker P Dhanapal's action in issuing notices to the 19 MLAs on Thursday on a memorandum by the Government Chief Whip seeking their disqualification for alleged anti-party activities.

Saying that notices had been issued in connection with an episode that did not happen in the Assembly, Stalin said the governor should ensure that Palaniswamy does not continue in power by "creating a constitutional crisis and misusing anti-defection law". Meanwhile, the Assembly's privilege panel meets on August 28 to hear the privilege issue against Stalin and other DMK MLAs who brought gutkha to the House last month.

BATTLE PLANS

• As the support for Dinakaran growing, Palanisami has convened a meeting of MLAs, MPs and senior party office bearers on Monday to take stock of the MLAs revolt.
   
• In the 233 member Assembly, Palanisami require 117 MLAs for a simple majority, but his support has come down to 113 MLAs.
   
• Leader of Opposition and DMK working president MK Stalin urged the Governor to direct Palanisami to prove his majority