AIADMK merger: 19 pro-Dhinakaran MLAs withdraw support to Palaniswamy; DMK demands trust vote

Unhappy over the merger with O Panneerselvam faction, MLAs loyal to sidelined AIADMK leaders Saikala and TTV Dhinakaran today told the Governor that they no longer had confidence in Chief Minister K Palaniswamy, prompting the opposition DMK to demand a trust vote.

“We are going to initiate efforts to bring in a new CM with the help of our supporting MLAs,” Dhinakaran supporter and Andipatti MLA Thanga Tamil Selvan told reporters following a meeting with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao a day after the patch-up between the camps led by Palaniswamy and rebel leader Panneerselvam.

The Dhinakaran camp had yesterday claimed the support of 25 AIADMK MLAs. Raj Bhavan sources confirmed that the meeting took place this morning, but did not divulge details, including the number of members in the delegation and the nature of their interaction with Rao.

“We have informed the Governor that we don’t have confidence in the Chief Minister,” Selvan said after the MLAs owing allegiance to Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, met Rao.

Of the 234-member Assembly, the AIADMK has 134 MLAs excluding the Speaker. Late chief minister Jayalalithaa’s RK Nagar constituency is still vacant.

The DMK has 89 seats followed by its allies Congress with …read more