Panneerselvam, Palaniswami meet TN Guv; claim support of MLAs

Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and AIADMK Legislature party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami today met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and made separate claims of support of legislators.
Palaniswami submitted a list of legislators supporting him while Panneerselvam also gave such a representation. Panneerselvam was accompanied by School Education Minister K Pandiarajan, MLAs and colleagues of his camp.
Panneerselvam claimed support of "majority" MLAs and sought an opportunity to demonstrate it. The Panneerselvam camp has alleged that AIADMK legislators were being held at a resort near here against their wishes.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, who was among those who accompanied Edappadi Palaniswami, claimed that the faction had the support of 124 MLAs.

This is the second time Palaniswami is meeting the governor, the first being yesterday.
"We have given the Governor a list of legislators supporting our Legislature Party leader Palaniswami. Governor told us that our representation will be considered and we are confident that democracy will be guarded," Jayakumar told reporters outside Raj Bhavan later.

"We have apprised Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao that Edappadi Palaniswami enjoys the support of a majority of MLAs and hence he should be invited to form the government," he said.
He claimed that Palaniswami had the support of 124 MLAs and Panneerselvam only eight. "Think, which is big? We have the support of 124 MLAs, tell me is eight bigger than 124," he asked.

AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 234-member Assembly.
State ministers Dindigul C Srinivasan, P Thangamani, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs were among those who were with Palaniswami when met the Governor.
Earlier, party deputy general secretary, TTV Dinakaran, said, "We are waiting for the Governor's invitation (to form the government).