New Delhi: Opposition parties on Thursday knocked at the President's door demanding a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, claiming that the Palaniswami government in the state had been reduced to a minority after 19 AIADMK MLAs withdrew their support.
A delegation of opposition leaders of the DMK, the Congress, the CPI-M and the CPI met President Ram Nath Kovind and handed over a memorandum to him.
The delegation that included Congress leader Anand Sharma, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, DMK leaders Kanomozhi and Tiruchi Siva, and CPI's D Raja urged Kovind to direct Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to hold a floor test in the Assembly.
The DMK approached the president after the governor allegedly did not act on its request for a floor test.
"Each of the 19 MLAs has submitted letter to the governor withdrawing their support. We cannot call it an internal issue of the party. When OPS (O Panneerselvam) demanded a floor test earlier, the governor called for it, but it is surprising why he has not taken action in this case," Kanimozhi said after the meeting.
Sharma said a delegation of leaders of opposition parties met the President and requested him to intervene and give directions to the governor to hold a floor test soon as many AIADMK MLAs have given individual letters of withdrawal of their support to the government.
"The situation in the state is very serious as the Tamil Nadu government has lost majority," he said, adding that the President gave them a patient hearing and said he would look into their demands.
Raja told reporters, "Tamil Nadu politics is in dire straits today and its foundation has been questioned. The governor should have acted in accordance with the Constitution by calling for a floor test."
The DMK said it would continue to take up the issue with various authorities until the governor convenes a floor test.
"The ruling AIADMK only has the support of 113 MLAs pushing it below the majority mark. Whereas around 120 MLAs in the assembly are against the ruling party. We have explained it to the president," DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva said.
Responding to a question on AIADMK leaders claiming the rift was just "an internal issue", Kanimozhi said it could not be called an internal issue even after MLAs withdrew their support.
The delegation also included DMK MPs TKS Elangovan and R S Bharathi.
Following the merger of the two rival AIADMK factions led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and rebel leader O Panneerselvam, a former chief minister, 19 MLAs owing allegiance to sidelined party deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran withdrew support to the government.
In the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, the AIADMK has 134 MLAs. There is no one representing the R K Nagar constituency following the death of J Jayalalithaa which triggered feud in the AIADMK.
The DMK has 89 seats, Congress eight and IUML one.
