Governor Vidyasagar Rao arrives in Chennai amid political tension

Leaders of various political parties, including party deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran, have been demanding that since the Government fell short of a simple majority after 19 MLAs of the TTV camp withdrew support to him, the Governor should direct the Chief Minister to seek a confidence vote by convening the Assembly and prove his majority.

The Opposition DMK and its ally, the Congress, had already submitted a letter to Vidyasagar Rao with a similar demand.

It was in this backdrop, the Governor arrived this evening, amid heightening expectations. VP in Chennai today Though political parties were expecting a good response from him on the confidence vote issue, the Governor has come to the city in view of Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to Chennai on Sunday.

This would be Naidu’s maiden visit to Chennai after he became the Vice-President and as per protocol he has to be received by the Governor.

Naidu would be attending two functions in the city on Sunday.

He would inaugurate an event and exhibition on “New India--resolve to achieve” to mark 75 years of the Quit India movement at Anna University and later interact with the faculty and students of the varsity. It was not clear as to how long the Governor would remain in the city.

Reports also said that the DMK has sought an appointment with him to reiterate its demand for convening the Assembly to enable Palaniswami to seek a trust vote, the second after the one on February 18, after he became Chief Minister on February 16.

President and Leader of Opposition Party MK Stalin, who was here, said that the present government which has lost its majority should face the floor test and the DMK will meet the Governor and insist on that.

Stalin said, soon after the letter of 19 MLAs withdrawing their support to the Chief Minister, the Governor should have asked for a floor test. But the unusual delay in seeking the floor test paves way for the horse trading of MLAs. “Both DMK and Congress have separately sought for ordering a floor test by the Governor. But so far, there is no response. Our MLAs led by Deputy Leader of Opposition Duraimurugan will meet the Governor on Sunday and seek him to convene the assembly and order for a floor test as the Edappadi K Palaniswami’s government has lost its majority,” Stalin said.

Stating that the support of MLAs to TTV Dinakaran has been increasing every day, Stalin said, the state government led by Edappadi K Palaniswami has been planning to continue the government by all means.

At this juncture, the minority government cannot convene assembly privilege committee.

Meanwhile, he charged that the banned gutkha is available freely in the open market across the state and the government has been initiating action only after he had raised the issue in the assembly. He also thanked Divakaran who extended support for the DMK protest against the dam at Mekadatu by Karnataka government.