MK Stalin doesn't rule out supporting O Panneerselvam faction

Chennai: DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Monday did not rule out support to one of the two AIADMK factions when a floor test is ordered by Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, indicating that his party had not closed the option of supporting the faction led by Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

Speaking to reporters after a high level committee meeting of the party, Stalin said his party would take a 'good decision' before the floor test, when he was asked if the DMK would back either of the two factions. Earlier, he said the DMK is the principal opposition in the House and outside, the AIADMK is its political rival. Both the groups led by AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala and Panneerselvam are the DMK's opponents, Stalin declared.

He also declined to answer the allegations of Sasikala saying that he did not want to lower his dignity and waste time to answer her charges. When asked about BJP MP Subramanian Swamy's stand supporting Sasikala, the DMK leader said even people in his own party are not accepting his views.

He also cited the DMK resolution passed in today's meeting and said his party wanted the Governor to take an action without delay to form a stable government in the state according to the rules and traditions of the Constitution.

The MLAs should be allowed to vote freely in the Assembly and whoever had the majority should be allowed to form the government, Stalin said. He said people had been affected severely due to the power struggle between Kuvathur (where MLAs supporting Sasikala are staying and Greenways Road (Panneerselvam's residence). They are indulging in a fight to capture power and plunder the state.
The DMK resolution said people are suspecting if the Governor had been 'trapped' by the tough tactics of the BJP government at the centre and is unable to make alternate arrangements to form a government in the state. The Governor delaying the formation of a stable government is against the norms of democratic values and Constitution, it added.

An unstable situation had been created in the state due to the power struggle in the ruling party, it said and added that there is no Chief Minister or government.. Describing Panneerselvam as a caretaker Chief Minister, the resolution pointed out that the Governor had accepted Panneerselvam's resignation and stated that alternate arrangements would be made.

The government which had been disrupted for the last nine months for various reasons had come to a total standstill, the resolution said and added that the state government had not started discussions to prepare the budget. The DMK said the state is already plunged under mounting debts which had reached Rs 5  lakh crores and would be facing a financial crisis.