Governor should 'rescue' legislators from captivity: Ramadoss

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss on Thursday urged Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao to "rescue" the AIADMK legislators housed in resorts and get their views individually on the party's chief ministerial candidate.

In a statement here, Ramadoss said when Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam can be forced to resign from his post, it is not difficult to pressurise ordinary legislator to extend support to AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala.

On Tuesday night, Panneerselvam told the media that he was forced to resign and propose Sasikala's name for the post of Leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party.

Ramadoss said Rao should take immediate action to "free the AIADMK legislators from their captivity".

Rao should also speak to the legislators individually and ascertain their views, and only after that he should decide whom to call to form the next government in the state, Ramadoss said.

Over 120 legislators belonging to the AIADMK have been ferried to a beach resort near here by the Sasikala camp as a measure to "protect" them from being poached by the rival camp led by Panneerselvam.

Their cell phones have been reportedly taken away and jammers installed so they cannot speak by telephones to anybody outside.

--IANS

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