Ahead of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s floor test on Saturday, members of the former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam faction on Friday met Speaker P Dhanapal.
During the meeting, Panneerselvam camp has demanded secret ballot on Saturday when the motion of confidence is moved in the Assembly.
After holding hectic discussions at Panneerselvam`s residence on Friday morning, a small group of AIADMK leaders met the Speaker in the Secretariat.
Speaking to reporters, S Semmalai, part of the Panneerselvam camp, said they have urged the Speaker for a secret ballot to decide on the motion of confidence.
However, a former MP of AIADMK is of the view that the legislators supporting Panneerselvam should vote against the confidence motion as a logical progression in their revolt.
“Panneerselvam and the legislators supporting him should openly vote against the motion of confidence and to build the credibility in the people`s mind space,” KC Palaniswamy told IANS on Friday.
On Thursday, Edappadi K Palaniswami, of the Sasikala camp, was sworn in as Chief Minister and 30 ministers also took an oath.
The Assembly will be convened on Saturday where Palaniswami with 125 legislators in his camp will seek the confidence of the house for his government.
Ranged on the opposite side are the Panneerselvam camp with 10 legislators, DMK with 89 members, Congress – eight, Indian Union Muslim League with one, and one seat is vacant.
An AIADMK leader not wanting to be quoted told IANS: “If it is a voice vote, the lung power would decide.”
