President should intervene in Tamil Nadu: Dhinakaran

Puducherry: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday demanded that the President intervene in Tamil Nadu as an "extraordinary situation" is prevailing in the state.

Dhinakaran, who is involved in a power tussle with Chief Minister K Palanisamy, met the MLAs loyal to him who have been staying here for nearly two weeks.

After the meeting, he said the legislators had not been herded and asserted that they were staying in Puducherry on their own volition.

Dhinakaran told reporters that an "extraordinary situation" was prevailing in Tamil Nadu.

"The President (Ram Nath Kovind) and Governor should intervene in this extraordinary situation. We will wait for two more days and then decide next course of action," the party's deputy general secretary said.

He had come to Puducherry to hold discussions with his camp legislators, he added.

The DMK, Congress and Left parties had met President Kovind on August 31, demanding a floor test for the incumbent Palanisamy government in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

They had earlier knocked on Rao's doors with a similar plea.

To a question, Dhinakaran said his side has not sought an appointment with the president.

The former MP said he wished to meet the MLAs but could not do so due to his busy work schedule.

The MLAs had been staying in Puducherry ever since they left Chennai following their meeting with Rao on August 22 where they had told him that they had lost confidence in Palanisamy and had sought his removal as chief minister.

He said both Palanisamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam had "betrayed" AIADMK and people of the state.

"A chief minister appointed by us has betrayed people and the party by joining hands with Panneerselvam who had earlier betrayed the party," he alleged 

"How can a man who has betrayed a party that made him chief minister serve the people," he said while referring to his camp's demand for the removal of Palanisamy. 

On the governor informing a team of opposition leaders recently that he cannot intervene in AIADMK's "internal affairs", Dhinakaran said "we know why he said so," but did not elaborate.

"Our MLAs are revolutionaries. They will not back down," he added.

Indicating that his flock was united, Dhinakaran refuted reports that some of them had left the Union Territory or had wanted to leave.

He said none of them had been herded at the Puducherry accommodation and said they had even left their homes and families for the cause they had taken up.

"They are independent here," he said.

They rued not being able to serve their respective constituencies, Dhinakaran said, adding "but people in Tamil Nadu know they are here to protect their party and their government." 

Responding to a question on the suicide of 17 year-old medical aspirant Anitha at Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu, he said the state "does not need NEET at all".

The girl had scored 1176 marks out 1200 in Class XII exams and if there was no NEET exam, she could have got admitted to a medical course, he said.

Asked if the issue called for the resignation of Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, he said Palanisamy and Panneerselvam should quit.

"Let them resign and we will set things right," he said.

He said people of Tamil Nadu will not accept anything "imposed" on them and referred to the anti-Hindi agitation of 1960s, a DMK-led initiative.