Dinakaran faction meets Governor to act on Palaniswami

Chennai, Sep 7 (IANS) AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran, who met Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao along with his loyalists, said the Governor told them that he will do "his duty" on their petition withdrawing support to Chief Minister K. Palaniswami.

Dinakaran and his loyalists comprising of legislators and Members of Parliament met Rao at Raj Bhavan.

"We had requested the Governor to take fast action on the petition given by the legislators earlier so that horsetrading could be prevented. We told the Governor that Chief Minister Palaniswami does not command the support of majority of the legislators. The meeting of legislators held at the party headquarters recently was attended only by 111 legislators," Dinakaran told reporters here.

The half-way mark in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with an effective strength of 234 is 117.

Dinakaran said the Governor assured the delegation that he would do his duty.

Queried about Cumbum legislator S.T.K. Jakkaiyan switching sides, Dinakaran said the legislator was threatened by the ruling faction.

"We have sleeper cells that will soon turn active," Dinakaran added.

He said those who support Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam will not be able get people's support during elections.

The Dinakaran faction has been upset over its isolation in the ruling party whose two major factions, led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, united recently. The merged party also decided to sack jailed V.K. Sasikala as General Secretary.

Nineteen legislators belonging to the Dinakaran faction met the Governor on August 22 and petitioned to change the Chief Minister. Following that, opposition parties have been demanding Palaniswami to prove his majority on the floor of the house.