Sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran today launched a fresh attack on his rival, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and vowed to “end this rule of betrayal” within a week.
The ‘sacked’ party deputy chief also ruled out his faction having any direct or indirect pact with M K Stalin-led DMK, saying that party “is our primary rival.”
Speaking to reporters here, the combative leader also alleged that Palaniswami had tried to “adopt short-cut” method of facing a floor test of his government on Monday by disqualifying 18 MLAs supporting him.
“The short-cut adopted by Palaniswami is he tried to have the floor test by Monday (apparently September 18) after disqualification (of his supporting MLAs),” he alleged. “By doing so, Palaniswami may not require to garner the required support of 117 MLAs to win the trust vote,” he said.
Dhinakaran also slammed Palaniswami for “aligning” with former rebel leader O Panneerselvam, now Deputy Chief Minister. He has escalated his attack against Palaniswami since the August 21 merger of the two camps. “There is no history of adharma and betrayal having triumphed. In one week, we will end this rule of betrayal in the Assembly,” he said, apparently indicating at a possible floor test of the government.
Floor test saga
Dhinakaran claimed that 21 AIADMK MLAs were now against the Chief Minister and wanted his removal, a demand raised with the Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao.
“The Governor delayed (on directing floor test), but DMK won’t keep quiet. They want elections to happen and so they moved the court (for floor test),” Dhinakaran said.
The main opposition party, the DMK petitioned Governor Rao to direct the Palaniswami government to prove its numbers more than once. However, when the governor did not agree to a floor test, they moved the court on the matter recently.
The Madras High Court yesterday directed that no floor test should be held in the state Assembly till September 20.
In the 234-member state Assembly, AIADMK has 134 MLAs including the Speaker. The RK Nagar seat is vacant following the death of then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa last year. Following the merger between the Palaniswami and Pannerselvam camps, 19 AIADMK MLAs who supported Dhinakaran revolted. They were all initially put up at a resort in Puducherry, before shifting to a resort in Coorg, Karnataka.
One of them have since shifted camps to support Palaniswami.
An ally of the DMK?
On his rival AIADMK camp’s criticism that he has joined hands with DMK in his tussle against Palaniswami, Dhinakaran said, “There is no direct or indirect alliance with that party,” adding, “I repeatedly said that DMK is our primary rival. There is no direct or indirect alliance with that party.”
Dhinakaran also said that his faction had moved the court against a possible disqualification of its MLAs after “sensing” such possible action,” from Speaker P Dhanapal. “You should question me if only I align with DMK after this government goes,” he said.
“Palaniswami, who had betrayed AIADMK chief V K Sasikala, will not be ‘forgiven’ by God,” Dhinakaran said. He also faulted the Chief Minister for convening the party General Council to remove her as interim general secretary.
Dhinakaran had earlier dismissed the September 12 General Council as a “public meeting”, saying the court could have the final say on the matter.