TN Opposition Parties Meet Prez Kovind, Demand Floor Test In Assembly

August 31, 2017 16:31

(Image source from: Deccanchronicle.com)

TN Opposition Parties Meet Prez Kovind, Demand Floor Test In Assembly:- Demanding a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, a delegation of opposition parties including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) met President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday.

The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu claimed that owing allegiance to TTV Dhinakaran’s AIADMK faction, the government has been “reduced” to a minority with 21 MLAs, withdrawing their support to Chief Minister E Palanisamy and thereby, demanded a floor test.

If the party does not command the mandate of the state, a party cannot rule a state, argued CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who was present at the meeting. Yechury believed that a floor test is the only way to come to a solution.

“The point is that any government of a country has to enjoy the majority of legislative members that can be demonstrated only on the floor of the house. Without a floor test, any action taken by the government doesn't have the mandate of a majority,” Yechury told the media after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma, echoing Yechury’s views said to cope up with the political instability in Tamil Nadu, the floor test is a necessary step.

He said, “The government and the Chief Minister have lost the majority. The leader of the opposition urged the governor to convene an urgent session of the TN Assembly.”

The President has been conveyed of situation of 21 MLAs giving their letters of withdrawal of support to the AIADMK government, said Mr. Sharma. The meeting comes in wake after Governor C Vidyasagar Rao was criticized about his mode of working by DMK working president MK Stalin.

On Wednesday, Stalin said the governor had “failed to discharge his duties” and stated this as the reason for planning to meet President Kovind.

While addressing the media, Stalin said Governor Rao was indulging in politics, adding, “We have been saying since the beginning that the Union Government is behind everything happening in Tamil Nadu.” Even after meeting the President, if no action is taken against Tamil Nadu Government, then they “will consider legal action”.