New Delhi: With political turmoil in Tamil Nadu continuing unabated, the Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi on Monday advised the Governor of Tamil Nadu Ch. Vidyasagar Rao to hold a floor test to decide who the Chief Minister will be.
The Attorney General has advised the Governor that a special Assembly session be convened within a week to determine who among the two AIADMK leaders — O. Panneerselvam and V.K. Sasikala — enjoys majority support.
Sources said that the opinion was sought by Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao from the Attorney General.
“The Attorney General cited the Jagdambika Pal precedent to ask the Governor to convene a special Assembly session and put two resolutions — one in the name of Sasikala and one in the name of O Panneerselvam — to vote, within a week,” sources added.
Under the the 1998 SC judgement in the Jagdambika Pal case, the SC had ordered a floor test in the Assembly to determine who among the two claimants — Mr Pal and Kalyan Singh — had majority for Chief Ministership of UP.
Two claimants from same party
Interestingly, sources pointed out, that this time the floor test will be between two claimants from the same party.
“This may be perhaps one of the unique situations where candidates from same party are pitted against each other to determine who commands majority support among party legislators in the Assembly,” sources said.
The opinion comes a week after the political turmoil in Tamil Nadu began with O. Panneerselvam tendering his resignation as the Chief Minister.
Ms Sasikala is claiming that she has the majority support of legislators and was confident of forming the government. However, over the past few days several MLAs have also have pledged support to O. Panneerselvam.
