TN CM Palanisamy sitting on 'rented chair', won't last long: Union Minister

Chennai: Likening Sasikala loyalist Edappadi K. Palanisamy's position as Chief Minister to that of one seated on a rented chair, Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan, said Palanisamy's tenure is “unlikely to last long.”

The Minister who was at his sarcastic best remarked, “Sitting on one's own chair at home is different. But sitting on a rented chair is another issue. I think the Chief Minister is sitting on a rented chair.” When his reaction was sought on on Palanisamy winning the vote of confidence in the Assembly, Radhakrishnan, who was in Thoothukudi on Sunday to attend a function, replied, “How long can a rented chair be used? I don't think it will last long.”

Expressing concern over Saturday's violent incidents in the State Assembly during the vote of confidence, Radhakrishnan said “it was shameful.” “The way the incidents unfolded in the Assembly has made the entire Tamil Nadu to hang the head in shame.” He demanded the constitution of an enquiry commission into the attack on Opposition leader M. K. Stalin in the Assembly.

The State unit of the BJP, however, justified the Governor's action in handling the crisis. “He gave ample time for Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly but the latter chose to test his strength on Saturday. The Speaker could have accepted the demands from various sections and allowed secret ballot in the Assembly,” said Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP state president.

Terming the incidents as “unfortunate” BJP senior and MP L. Ganesan said, “Edappadi could claim to win numerically but morally he has lost the trust vote as the legislators were not given the freedom to speak their minds.”