Celebrations in AIADMK, consultations in AMMK

A jubilant Chief Minister and AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday said the party was ready to face the bypolls whenever it was announced by the Election Commission.

Talking to reporters at the AIADMK headquarters, where he was accorded a rousing reception by party coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Ministers, MLAs and party functionaries, Palaniswami said the AIADMK was prepared to face  byelections in all the 20 seats, including Tiruvarur and Tiruparankundram.

“Thanks to the blessings of AIADMK founder MGR and late J Jayalalithaa and the Almighty, we have got a very good verdict,” he said.

Stating that holding immediate elections was a legal issue that must be decided by the EC, Palaniswami said the AIADMK was confident of winning all the 20 seats.

The CM noted that the party was prepared for the Tiruparankundram and Tiruvarur bypolls. “Now with 18 more seats vacant and LS polls approaching, we will emerge victorious in all the upcoming polls. We will repeat the 2014 performance attained under the leadership of ‘Amma’,” the Chief Minister said.

On AMMK founder and expelled leader TTV Dhinakaran’s reaction that the court verdict was an experience, the Chief Minister said, “I did not know what kind of experience he got”.

The verdict has brought a breather for the ruling AIADMK as it need not worry about another floor test. According to AIADMK sources, the ruling party enjoys the support of 112 MLAs including speaker P Dhanapal.