Governor invites Edappadi Palanisamy to form govt, ADMK beats conspiracy
Updated by admin on
Thursday, February 16, 2017 01:26 PM IST
Chennai:
The AIADMK Legislature Party got a shot in the arm in their fight against rebel O Panneerselvam as Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao finally invited the LP leader Edapaddi K Palaniswami to form the government. The Governor, bowing at least to the sheer weight of numbers in favour of the LP, asked EPS to seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly within 15 days.
On February 15, Palaniswami met the Governor with the LP resolution, backed by 124 of the party's 134 MLAs, with their signatures. Tamil Nadu has a 234-member legislative Assembly, leaving the Governor little option and to end the saga of confusion and crisis caused by the Raj Bhavan in collusion with the BJP, DMK and a section of rebel AIADMK MLAs who were no more than 10 in number. In fact, this number of rebel AIADMKs would have been even less last week. The number of 10 with OPS will come down to under 5 in another two days, AIADMK sources said.
The AIADMK legislature party (LP) majority was never in doubt. In fact, the Governor was said to have delayed a decision only to wait for the Supreme Court verdict, as if it would alter the majority view. The monent Sasikala steppd down and EPS was elected LP leader, and the resolution was handed over to the Governor two days ago, the Governor should have invited EPS to form the government, with the rider that he prove his majority in the Asswembly through a confidence vote.
The Governor apparently gave too much credence to the OPS camp, and the BJP and DMK, which protested about ADMK MLAs being lodged in the resort. He was given the impression that the flood gates would be opened once the conviction order came from the SC. However, there was no change. If anything, the AIADMK MLAs were even more determined to stay together and fight it out.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar had yesterday said who was among those who accompanied Palaniswami, claimed the group has the support of 124 MLAs.
While O Panneerselvam has managed to win over only 10 odd MPs and some MLAs, bulk of AIADMK MLAs stood by Sasikala and senior leaders of the party to overcome the conspiracy.
