With a Secret Ballot, Palanisamy Would Never Have Won, Says Stalin

DMK leader MK Stalin. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The DMK on Monday approached the Madras High Court with a request to hear the issue of trust vote won by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy two days ago.

Stalin, leader of the opposition in the assembly, told Governor C Vidyasagar Rao that the motion of confidence moved by Palanisamy was adopted in the absence of the entire opposition.

Speaking at a press conference, Stalin argued that the Speaker can expel individuals by name, but cannot “target an entire party.”

The DMK legislators had been evicted by the Speaker after they created ruckus in the assembly, demanding a secret ballot for the trust vote.

If a secret ballot had been used, Edappadi Palanisamy would have lost the trust vote.

He added that he saw the Palanisamy government as a “benami government” controlled by VK Sasikala.

We have asked for an appointment with the President to submit a report on what happened in the Assembly.

After protesting at Marina Beach on Saturday, the DMK has called for a hunger strike on 22 February. The party leader also said DMK will bring a no confidence motion in the next Assembly session.

Taking a cue from social media chatter about why Sasikala thrusted her palm on Jayalalithaa’s memorial before going to jail, Stalin said:

Sasikala slapped Jayalalithaa’s memorial in frustration that she was going to jail, and wasn’t able to be the Chief Minister even for a day.