Chennai: In a shot in the arm for Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), as many as 111 MLAs turned up at the ruling AIADMK party legislators’ meet organised for a show of strength amid demands by the Opposition DMK the he seek a floor test in the Assembly.
The attendance was encouragingly larger than the meeting EPS held on August 28 when 80 lawmakers had turned up.
At the meeting on Tuesday, party MLAs adopted a resolution reposing faith in Mr Palaniswami’s leadership, while those in the T.T.V Dhinakaran faction kept away. The AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 234-member state Assembly with one vacancy. Despite the support of 111 MLAs, the CM is short of the magic figure of 117, but there are signs of growing support for him.
There were claims that nine MLAs of the Dhinakaran camp have been in touch with CM over phone and that they are reportedly prepared to support him. Three other MLAs of parties which are AIADMK allies are also reportedly backing the CM.
