Chennai: Rebel MLA P. Vetrivel met Speaker P. Dhanapal’s deadline on Thursday and submitted him ‘evidence’ on the circumstances necessitating the pro-TTV Dhinakaran MLAs to meet Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, while MLA S.K.T. Jakkaiyan backtracked and saved his position by saying he was pressurised to give the letter to the Governor.
Though Vetrivel is said to have sought additional time to respond to the Speaker’s notice summoning all the 18 rebel MLAs, when he initially met Mr Dhanapal earlier in the day, he returned only to call on the Speaker along with advocate Raja Senthurpandian. Emerging from the meeting Raja Senthurpandian told reporters that they had “submitted evidences” to the Speaker and told him that all the MLAs would have appeared in person had they been given police protection. He also recalled that they were intimidated by the police during their stay in Coorg in Karnataka.
“The Speaker, however, told us that he would have directed the police to provide protection to the legislators had they sought written permission,” Mr Raja said.
Meanwhile, Jakkaiyan who had shifted his loyalty to CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami, appeared before Mr Dhanapal and submitted that he was “pressurised” to give the letter to Governor. The Speaker had summoned all 18 MLAs staying in Coorg to respond to his notice asking them why they met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and expressed lack of confidence in Chief Minister Palaniswami.
Assembly deputy speaker Pollachi Jayaraman on Thursday said there is no need to prove majority now, as Mr Edappadi K. Palaniswami has done it already earlier this year.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Palaniswami has the support of 134 MLAs. This is our intra-party issue. Some members have difference of opinion. But if there is a threat to the government, all will come together and support it.”
He came down heavily on DMK working president M.K. Stalin and accused him of trying to topple the government. Jayaraman further said that Stalin is planning to create ruckus to bring bad name to the government. “When no confidence motion was brought in the Assembly recently, DMK behaved in an indecent manner and its members insulted the speaker. They were suspended too. Everyone knows this” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress floor leader K.R. Ramasamy said the Speaker cannot disqualify the MLAs supporting TTV Dhinakaran.
