Seeking to assert his authority, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Wednesday sacked four ministers from party posts, while 18 MLAs loyal to him stayed put in a Puducherry resort, a day after they revolted against Tamil Nadu’s Edappadi K Palaniswami government, threatening its survival.
Dhinakaran “relieved” four ministers — RB Uthayakumar, KC Veeramani, MR Vijayabaskar and R Kamaraj — of party posts.
The Congress, meanwhile, pitched for a floor test in the State Assembly, a day after its ally DMK made a similar demand, claiming 22 AIADMK MLAs had submitted letters to Governor Ch Vidayasagar Rao expressing lack of confidence in Palaniswami.
In the 234-member Assembly, the AIADMK has 134 MLAs. Rallying behind jailed party chief VK Sasikala, her brother Divakaran claimed the Palaniswami ministry had “lost majority” and sought the CM’s resignation.
“Such a government cannot continue. Palaniswami has to resign,” Divakaran told reporters at Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district.
Divakaran had on Tuesday suggested the name of Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal, a Dalit, to replace Palaniswami.
Both Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam seemed undeterred by the developments. They are attending the centenary celebrations of AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran in Ariyalur.
Meanwhile, police personnel have been deployed outside the Puducherry resort where MLAs of the Dhinkaran camp are housed. The media was not allowed to enter the premises.
The local wing of the unified AIADMK burned effigies of Dhinakaran, nephew of Sasikala, and raised slogans against them.