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Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, a VK Sasikala loyalist, will seek a trust vote on the floor of the Assembly on Saturday at 11 am — the first such exercise in the state in about 30 years. Barring last-minute hitches, the new AIADMK government is expected to sail through.
Coimbatore North MLA Arun Kumar on Saturday left Edapaddi Palaniswamy camp and decided to abstain from voting.
Meanwhile, the Palaniswami camp on Friday received a jolt with one of its MLAs, R Nataraj, a former state DGP, announcing he would vote against the Chief Minister’s motion of confidence. Palaniswami now has the support of 122 members in a House of 234.
Opposition DMK working president MK Stalin said his party legislators would vote against the Palaniswami government while the state Congress committee chief said a decision would be taken on the “advice” of the party high command. The DMK has 89 MLAs and the Congress eight.
Though Panneerselvam now has the backing of 11 MLAs, experts feel he can rock the government if he is able to wean away a few legislators from the Palaniswami camp. In fact, many MLAs supporting Sasikala are still at the resort 80 km from Chennai. They are scheduled to leave tomorrow morning for the trust vote at 11 am.
Rebelling against Sasikala on February 7, Panneerselvam alleged he had been coerced into resigning as Chief Minister. This split the AIADMK into two camps.
Cong to vote against Palaniswami govt
Opposition Congress on Saturday said it would vote against the Edappadi K Palaniswami government in the motion of confidence in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
“We have decided to vote against the Edappadi K Palaniswami government in the Assembly”, TNCC President Su Thirunavukkarasar told reporters at the party headquarters here.
Congress has eight MLAs in the 234 member House. Thirunavukkarasar said the “unanimous” decision was taken after he chaired a meeting of party legislators, led by Legislature Party leader K R Ramasamy and senior functionaries at the party headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan.
