Amid calls for floor test, 111 AIADMK MLAs attend meet convened by EPS

Amid calls for a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly by the opposition parties, 111 MLAs of the ruling AIADMK in the state on Tuesday attended a legislators' meet convened by Chief Minister K Palaniswami here.

State Fisheries Minister and senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar told reporters here that as many as 111 MLAs reposed their faith in the chief minister at the meeting.

The development is being considered as a boost to Palaniswami, whose earlier meeting on August 28 reportedly witnessed a much less attendance with some claiming that only 75 MLAs were present at it.

Jayakumar said the MLAs had "wholeheartedly extended their full cooperation" to the chief minister and a unanimous resolution was adopted reposing faith in his leadership.

He also claimed that nine MLAs of the Dhinakaran camp had contacted Palaniswami over the phone and extended their support to him.

Also, three MLAs who are allies of the ruling party had promised their support to Palaniswami, he added.

The Peravurani MLA had intimated that he would not be able to attend the meet as he was indisposed, Jayakumar said.

He alleged that some legislators had been "illegally confined against their wishes" (at Puducherry) and asserted that the meet signalled the dashing of hopes of those who wanted to "thrust" an election on the people.

The AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 234-member state Assembly with one vacancy.