Chennai: Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on Tuesday appealed to Governor CH. Vidyasagar Rao to direct Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to prove his majority in the Assembly immediately.
In a letter to the Governor, he asked the Governor “to uphold the constitutional norms and the parameters laid down in the famous judgment in 'SR Bommai case' by the Supreme Court”.
He said consequent to the identical letters given by 22 MLAs to the Governor expressing lack of confidence on Palaniswami, an unprecedented constitutional crisis had erupted in which the present government had lost its majority, he said.
Any inordinate delay in asking the Chief Minister to prove his majority in the instant case would pave the way for continuance of an unconstitutional government, he said.
“It will destabilise the democratic norms and precedents established in demonstrating the confidence of the House. It will also give room for evil practice of horse-trading occurred when the incumbent Chief Minister proved his majority on an earlier confidence motion”, Stalin said.
Stalin recalled that in similar occasion, on the same day the then Governor of Karnataka directed B.S.Yediyurappa, the then Chief Minister of Karnataka to prove his majority in the House.
Earlier, speaking to the media at the DMK headquarters, Stalin said besides the 19 MLAs, the allies of AIADMK Thamimum Ansari (Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi), Thaniyarasu (Kongu Ilaignar Peravai) and actor Karunas (Mukkulathor Pulipadai) had also given letters to the Governor withdrawing their support to Palaniswami.
When former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam approached the Governor with 11 MLAs and requested for a floor test, the Governor had accepted their request.
Now, 22 MLAs had conveyed that they had withdrawn support to Palaniswami. Stalin said the Governor should convene the Assembly immediately, Stalin asserted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had vowed to eradicate corruption had supported the merger of two corrupt factions and his greetings showed his support, Stalin said.
