Pro-Dinakaran MLAs meet TN Governor; seek CM's ouster

In a day of fast paced developments, deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran supporting MLAs numbering 19 met governor Vidyasagar Rao and handed over individual letters withdrawing their support to chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday morning.

The letters mentioned that the MLAs had won in their respective constituencies under Jayalalithaa's leadership. "As EPS hade lost the faith and support of the public and us, we are withdrawing support for EPS the letters added.

The letters also added that EPS was indulging in corruption and misusing his official position and called on the governor  act in his constitutional capacity.

Soon after this, OPS supporter and MP V Maitreyan met the governor and explained matters to him, sources revealed.

Later talking to the media Dinakaran supporter said, they only wanted to change the CM and not topple the government.  "Let them make OPs or anybody else chief minster but how can they even think of removing Chinnamma (VK Sasikala) from the general secretary's post as without her there would not be any AIADMK government?" Do not they have a conscience? God will surely punish them for this deed."

Their ire also stemmed from the fact that while OPS and his 9 MLAs  were invited the 19 MLAs comprising their groups were not invited. When we helped EPS  succeed in the confidence vote by keeping quiet and going hungry on that day in the assembly why is that they did not bother to even invite us, Thangatamilselvan demanded.

Stating that party cadres were pained by OPS volte face after calling the EPS government corrupt and threatening to agitate in front of the secretariat, Thanatamilselvan added the world know that OPS was responsible for freezing the two leaves symbol and voting against the EPS government in the confidence motion.

When asked how they expected the governor to intervene in a party issue, his cryptic reply was "wait and see."