Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is all set to seek a vote of confidence today in the state assembly – that is likely to see some tight-rope walk, with the rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) faction led by O Panneerselvam joined by opposition parties to vote against the government.
The state is poised for another day of intense political activity with the scene shifting to the state assembly.
Palaniswami, 63, a senior leader in the ruling AIADMK of the V K Sasikala camp, was sworn in on Thursday. He needs the support of 117 legislators to continue in the post.
The AIADMK party commands the support of 124 legislators, including the Speaker, while the breakaway group led by former chief minister Panneerselvam has 11 legislators.
The other opposition includes Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 89 members, Congress – eight, Indian Union Muslim League with one, and one seat vacant.
The DMK has said it will vote against the government, while the Congress has said it will wait for the party high command’s directive. However, the Congress has indicated it will vote against the Palaniswami government.
The DMK (minus its president M Karunanidhi who is unwell has 88 legislators to vote), Along with the Congress and Indian Union of Muslim League, the opposition group comes to 97.
The Panneerselvam camp has the support of 11, taking the tally against Palaniswami to 108. If there is some cross-voting to the tune of 10 legislators from Sasikala’s camp then it could be the end for Palaniswami. Yesterday, the chief minister’s support base was cut by one legislator.
AIADMK legislator representing Mylapore constituency and former director general of police (DGP) R Nataraj said he would vote against Palaniswami.
Meanwhile, a week after he was sacked from the AIADMK, former party presidium chairman E Madhusudanan in turn yesterday “dismissed” general secretary V K Sasikala, Chief Minister Palaniswami, deputy general secretary T T V Dinakaran, deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha M Thambidurai, A Navaneethakrishnan, Thangamani, N Dalavai Sundaram, Valarmathi, R B Udhayakumar, Shanmugam and S Venkatesh – from the party’s primary membership.
Don’t smile at me, Stalin advises new CM
DMK’s working president M K Stalin yesterday advised newly-sworn-in Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami against smiling at him in the assembly. The strange advice came just a few days after AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala had noted that former chief minister O Panneerselvam had smiled at Stalin – and cited that as one of the reasons for asking him to step down. Reacting to that, Panneerselvam had said smiling at another human being is one of the qualities that differentiates humans from animals.
Edappadi K Palaniswami
