Madurai: Harping onto Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit's statement that he would continue to work as per Constitution, DMK working president M. K. Stalin on Tuesday sought to know whether he would convene the Assembly and order Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to prove his majority.
Speaking to reporters here, Stalin said he still feels that Purhoit overstepped his authority when he held a review meeting with Coimbatore district officials despite the Governor's assertion on Monday night through a statement released by his Principal Secretary that he did not violate any Constitutional provision.
"Governor says he works as per the Constitution and I would like to ask him whether he is prepared to convene the Assembly and ask the Chief Minister to prove his majority. Tamil Nadu has a minority government and as per constitution, the Governor should step in and ensure that the dispensation proves its numbers on the floor. Is he prepared to do that?" Stalin asked.
Stalin, the Leader of Opposition, has been demanding that the Governor instruct Palaniswami to prove his majority on the floor of the House after 18 MLAs owing allegiance to rebel leader T T V Dhinakaran, withdrew support to him. However, Speaker P Dhanapal disqualified the MLAs and his action has been challenged in the Madras High Court.
Stalin's response came to questions on Purohit's statement defending his review meeting. "The governor says he has not violated the Constitution, but I still feel governor is not respecting law," he said.
The governor's office on Monday said the purpose of the governor's meeting in Coimbatore was to seek a first hand input about various welfare and development schemes and programmes and their implementation.
The clarification came days after a political row erupted in Tamil Nadu with several opposition parties including DMK strongly criticising Purohit's meeting.
