If CM has majority and convenes Assembly, DMK will move no confidence vote : Stalin

Chennai, Sep 12: DMK Working President M K Stalin today dared Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to prove his majority if he has enough numbers, by recommending to the Governor to convene the Assembly session. Talking to reporters after filing a petition in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Governor to direct the Chief Minister to seek a floor test after the Palaniswami Government fell short of majority following withdrawal of support by 19 rebel MLAs, Stalin said he had met the Governor and urged him to direct the Chief Minister to seek a confidence vote within a week, failing which the DMK would move the court. 'Based on that, the matter has gone to the court and a petition has also been filed seeking a direction to the Governor to act as per democratic process', he said. Asked whether climax has come on the issue considering 'ousted' AIADMK Amma leader T T V Dhinakaran stating that he would take steps to topple the government and the DMK too demanding a trust vote, Mr stalin 'I do not want to reply to it'. On DMK's claim that the government lacked majority, Stalin said 'they (EPS camp) claims to have majority and the Governor alone has the right to convene the Assembly, as it was already prorogued.' 'If they have the majority and if the chief minister had the guts, let him recommend to the Governor and convene the Assembly. We will definitely bring in a no-confidence motion on behalf of the DMK', he added. On the criticisms levelled against him by the Chief Minister, Stalin said 'Let him (Palaniswami), pose questions as Chief Minister with majority, then I will reply to them'. Asked whether the DMK would face the election and come to power, he said the DMK's policy and Party Chief M Karunanidhi's views were that the DMK had never tried to capture power through backdoor. UNI