Now, AIADMK MLAs backing TTV Dhinakaran want P Dhanapal to replace Palaniswami as Tamil Nadu CM

Chennai: AIADMK MLAs belonging to the faction led by jailed party general secretary VK Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran, on Thursday demanded that Speaker P Dhanapal should be appointed as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Addressing a press conference, MLA P Vetrivel, a supporter of Dhinakaran said, “We have never said we will vote against the incumbent government but want Speaker P Dhanapal to replace K Palaniswami as Tamil Nadu CM.”

The latest development comes a day after, Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami on Wednesday said unity was the need of the hour to take the party and the AIADMK government forward, amid a threat to his government's stability posed by 18 MLAs loyal to sidelined party deputy chief Dhinakaran.

Earlier this year, after O Panneerselvam broke away from the AIADMK, the Sasikala-Dhinakaran group housed the party legislators numbering over 120 in a resort in Kuvathoor near here for several days.

However, on Monday, the two major AIADMK factions finally came together with Palaniswami continuing to head the government while Panneerselvam -- who has been Chief Minister thrice -- becoming the Deputy Chief Minister and also the numero uno in the united AIADMK.

In a veiled attack on the AIADMK faction led by jailed general secretary VK Sasikala, CM Palaniswami on Wednesday wondered how people who were with him till recently are now saying the government is corrupt.

DMK's ally Congress on Wednesday pitched for a floor test in the Assembly, a day after the Dravidian party made a similar demand claiming 22 AIADMK MLAs had submitted letters to Governor Ch Vidayasagar Rao expressing lack of confidence in the chief minister.

In the 234-member assembly, the AIADMK has 134 MLAs.