111 MLAs attend meet convened by TN CM K Palaniswami

CHENNAI: The ruling AIAMDK has failed to counter claims of rival TTV Dhinakaran camp that its government was in the minority, after only 111 MLAs turned up for a meeting CM E Palaniswami called on Tuesday. The number, confirmed by senior minister D Jayakumar, falls 6 short of majority.

“All AIADMK MLAs responded positively to the invitation extended by CM Edappadi K Palaniswami. About 111 AIADMK MLAs signed the register and all of them have resolved to support the continued leadership of our CM,” Jayakumar said after conclusion of the AIADMK meet. When asked about the numbers falling short of majority, Jayakumar said, “there are some MLAs who have been forcibly detained in a camp and at least 9 of them have expressed their support to us over phone.”

However, an MLA from the TTV camp countered the minister’s claim. “The 21 MLAs in our camp are standing strongly together.

Even if their claim (of 111 MLAs) is true, that itself is proof they are short of majority and the CM cannot continue. We hope the governor will take this as proof and order a floor test immediately,” P Palaniappan of the Dhinakaran camp told reporters.

DMK working president MK Stalin, meanwhile, demanded a floor test.