Disqualified Dhinakaran faction AIADMK MLAs approach HC; hearing tomorrow

On Monday, the Speaker disqualified 18 MLAs who had said they no longer trusted CM Palaniswami

A day after Speaker P Dhanapal disqualified 18 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) supporting T T V Dhinakaran, a family member of V K Sasikala, the dissenting MLAs approached the Madras High Court on Tuesday. The court has permitted the filing of the petition and allowed a hearing on Wednesday.

The dissenting MLAs, who earlier submitted letters to Acting Governor C Vidyasagar Rao that they have lost their trust in Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, would put forward their arguments against the Speaker's decision in the Court on Wednesday, said sources.

Acting Governor Rao is expected to reach Chennai on Tuesday amid the tussle in the ruling party. On Monday, he met President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Reports said that he discussed the political situation in Tamil Nadu during the meeting, though this was not confirmed by the Raj Bhavan.

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Another petition from the Opposition party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), seeking directions to the government to summon an Assembly session for a trust vote is also scheduled for hearing on Wednesday. In an earlier hearing, where T T V Dhinakaran-led faction MLA P Vetrivel has sought the court's interference with the expected action against the 18 MLAs by the Speaker, the court directed the government not to conduct a trust vote before September 20. Read More