DMK, other opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have been pressing the Governor to direct a floor test
The internal bickering in the ruling AIADMK notwithstanding, the DMK will not adopt any 'backdoor' means to form the government, party leader MK Stalin said today and indicated the main opposition party had some trick up its sleeve.
Speaking at an event in Salem in Tamil Nadu, the DMK Working President and Leader of Opposition in the assembly said those who had spoken before him had desired that 89 should become 117, i.e. the DMK should come to power.
While the DMK had 89 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, its allies Congress and IUML add up another nine, taking the opposition strength to 98.
The simple majority in the present House, where the RK Nagar seat fell vacant last year following the death of then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, is 117.
"Not just 117, our desire is that it (DMK's strength) should become 200. We are patiently waiting for that. The DMK will never come to power through backdoor means. That is the path laid down to us by 'Kalaignar' (Party president M Karunanidhi)," he said.
Mr Stalin said his party would reach out to people, get their support and come to power "but are not desperate to come to power through backdoor means".
On Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao stating that the revolt of the 19 AIADMK MLAs against Chief Minister K Palaniswami was the party's internal affairs, Mr Stalin asked what would the Governor do "if the ball of the DMK which has 89 MLAs" went to his court.
"What action will you take if the ball comes to you. It is a completely different thing that whether DMK will take the ball to him or not. The suspense will be lost if (DMK's strategy) is revealed right away," he said.
"Therefore, the DMK will certainly take a decision after due legal consultation. That decision will not be for our selfish motives but in the interest of the welfare of people of Tamil Nadu. There is no change in that," he said.
He asked his supporters to be "patient for some more days."
"I assure that the DMK will soon create the situation for ensuring better days for Tamil Nadu," he said.
The DMK and other opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have been pressing the Governor to direct a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly to prove Mr Palaniswami's strength, following the revolt of 19 MLAs supporting sidelined AIADMK deputy chief TTV Dhinakaran.
The DMK, Congress and Left parties had also met President Ramnath Kovind on the matter in Delhi today.
On the Governor's statement to a delegation of opposition party leaders on Wednesday that he can't intervene in AIADMK's internal affairs, Mr Stalin wondered why Mr Rao had asked the Chief Minister to prove majority in February following the revolt of then rebel leader O Panneerselvam and his supporting MLAs.
He said that though 19 of AIADMK MLAs had now openly revolted against the Chief Minister, the number had "reportedly touched 27" and that there was a likelihood that it would go up to 40.
Later, speaking at Erode, he said casteism and communalism were 'growing' in India, especially Tamil Nadu, and vowed to fight the issues with the help of Dravidar Kazhagam, the parent organisation of DMK founded by rationalist leader, the late EV Ramasamy Periyar.