Chennai, Aug. 30: Opposition hopes of an early change in the Tamil Nadu government suffered a blow today when governor Vidyasagar Rao said he would not be able to intervene in the AIADMK infighting and ask chief minister E.K. Palanisamy to seek a vote of confidence.
Thol. Thirumavalavan (VCK), G. Ramakrishnan (CPM), R. Mutharasan (CPI) and Jawahirullah (MNM) told journalists in front of the governor's bungalow that Rao had told them "the ball has not come to my court" when they submitted a joint appeal to him to convene the Assembly for Palanisamy to seek a trust vote.
Earlier, 19 AIADMK legislators owing allegiance to T.T.V. Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed party chief V.K. Sasikala, had handed over a letter to Rao "withdrawing support to Palanisamy".
Thirumavalavan said the governor was of the opinion that "two groups of the AIADMK are involved in the tussle" and that the 19 rebel MLAs "have neither been expelled from the party, nor have they quit".
"Legally, they are very much part of the AIADMK and I cannot consider that the chief minister has lost his majority in the House," Thirumavalavan quoted Rao as saying.
However, the Opposition leaders told the governor that "the ball is firmly in your court and you have the authority to initiate action to resolve the crisis".
The leaders indicated that they might call on President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow.
The acting president of the DMK, M.K. Stalin, announced today that MPs from his party and from allies such as the Congress, CPM and the CPI would also meet the President tomorrow.
Durai Murugan, deputy leader of the DMK legislature party, said it was "unbecoming" of the governor to "shirk his responsibility".Stalin alleged that the governor was "playing politics".
When the governor could ask Palanisamy to seek a trust vote when only 12 MLAs broke away from the ruling party following the rebellion by deposed chief minister O. Panneerselvam, Stalin wondered, "why is he now hesitant to do so when around 120 MLAs (the AIADMK rebels and the Opposition) are against the chief minister".
Thirumavalavan alleged that the BJP "will not benefit if the Palanisamy government were to fall now and elections are held within six months".
"This is the main reason for the governor's disinclination to instruct the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence," the VCK leader said.
However, Dinakaran, who has been removed as the deputy chief of the AIADMK, told the media that he was still confident that the governor would take the "right decision".
"All that we want is that Palanisamy be replaced by an honest and loyal partyman," Dinakaran said.
H. Raja, a national general secretary of the BJP, contended that the governor had no role now as the AIADMK legislature party still had 134 MLAs, more than the required absolute majority.
Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Tamil Nadu president of the BJP, said the governor could not act according to the "whims and fancies" of the Opposition.
Political observers said the Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu were on the horns of a dilemma on moving a no-confidence motion against the Palanisamy government. "They are afraid it might misfire as such a move would unwittingly reunite the warring groups in the ruling party because none is inclined to rock the boat," an observer said.
Palanisamy today directed all AIADMK legislators to be present at the secretariat in Chennai tomorrow morning. While some said that the chief minister would meet the MLAs district-wise along with the ministers of the districts concerned as he had done in April, AIADMK sources said Palanisamy would use the opportunity to "pacify" disgruntled leaders.
Three AIADMK ministers and two MPs met Union home minister Rajnath Singh today. Rajnath is said to have assured them that the situation in Tamil Nadu "does not warrant any central intervention".
