AMN /CHENNAI
AIADMK MLAs owing allegiance to the sidelined party leader TTV Dhinakaran have expressed their loss of faith in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy.
The dissenting MLAs met Governor Vidyasagar Rao today at Raj Bhavan in Chennai and submitted a memorandum seeking removal of the chief minister. The development comes a day after the merger of two AIADMK factions.
The leader of the main opposition party MK Stalin has urged the Governor to convene the state assembly immediately in the wake of latest political developments.
Mr Stalin said, there is an unprecedented constitutional crisis in the state, adding that the government has lost its majority. He contended that any delay in convening the assembly would lead to horse-trading.
In 234 member Assembly, the unified AIADMK has 134 members. The faction led by TTV Dhinakaran has claimed support of 19 MLAs, reducing the strength of Palaniswami government to 115, which is two short of the 117 members required for a majority.
Following the latest developments, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy had a meeting with his supporters at the Secretariat.
Meanwhile, the state interim governor has returned to Mumbai this afternoon. He had reached Chennai yesterday for the swearing-in of new members of the cabinet.