Dinakaran terms Tamil Nadu's ruling dispensation a "betrayal government"

Trichy (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 19 (ANI): A day after Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker P Dhanapal disqualified 18 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), expelled party deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran said state government led by the AIADMK is a betrayal government.

The disqualified MLAs are reportedly backing Dinakaran.

Dinakaran said, "The AIADMK government is a betrayal government. Since they have power, they are threatening our MLAs."

Challenging the disqualification, Dinakaran said, "We are ready to face elections anytime. Chief Minister E. Palanisamy (EPS) and O. Panneerselvam (OPS) joined together and expelled our general secretary Sasikala. That's why our MLAs went to the governor. Now, the court will only give good judgement."

Later, the Tamil Nadu government released a gazette notifying disqualification of 18 MLAs from the membership of the assembly. Another MLA, STK Jakkaiyan, has been included in the list, taking the number to 19.

The disqualified MLAs include S Thangatamilselvan (Andipatti), R Murugan (Harur), S Mariappan Kennedy (Manamadurai), K Kadirkamu (Periyakulam), Jayanthi Padmanabhan (Gudiyattam), P Palaniappan (Pappireddypatti), V Senthil Balaji (Aravakurichi), S Muthiah (Paramakudi), P Vetrivel (Perambur), N G Pathiban (Sholingur), M Kodandapani (Tiruporur), T A Elumalai (Poonamallee), M Rengasamy (Thanjavur), R Thangadurai (Nilakottai), R Balasubramani (Ambur), S G Subramanian (Sattur), R Sundaraj (Ottapidaram) and Uma Maheswari (Vilathikulam).

The Dinakaran faction had earlier met the officials from the Election Commission and requested them to declare the recently-conducted general council meeting of the party null and void.

The faction also moved the Madras High Court on plea over a floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

The AIADMK, in its general council meeting, had passed a resolution, according to which jailed party general secretary V.K. Sasikala stood expelled from the party and the post of the temporary general secretary forfeited.

The resolution further said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, E. Palanisamy and his deputy, O. Panneerselvam, shall retrieve the party and its symbol.

Other terms of the resolution state that all announcements by T.T.V. Dinakaran stand cancelled.

Tamil Nadu's leader of opposition M.K. Stalin also said that he had moved the Madras High Court because Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao did not take due cognisance of his request of conducting a floor test in state assembly.

Stalin said he had asserted earlier that he will approach the court if Rao fails to address his concerns. (ANI)