EK Palaniswami, Sasikala's choice, was sworn in as CM two days ago. He will have to win a trust vote in the TN State Assembly to keep the post. Palaniswami requires 115 votes to win.
After nearly two weeks of uncertainity, drama and dramatic changes of fates, at last Tamil Nadu will have its floor test, to confirm the majority claimed by Edappadi K Palaniswami. Sasikala's choice, Palaniswami was accepted as Chief Minister by the TN Governor on Thursday. He will have to prove the support he claimed today, via a vote of confidience in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today. The proceedings have begun at 11 am as scheduled.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, the other contender for the post, made one last appeal last night, urging AIADMK MLAs to vote against the vote of confidence sought by Palaniswami, stating they should not aid a "family rule" and supporting the motion would amount to betraying the late party chief Jayalalithaa and people who voted for party.
In a message to AIADMK MLAs on the eve of the vote on confidence motion, Panneerselvam said Jayalalithaa had groomed all of them and given an identity. Unmindful of her health, she had toured the entire state to ensure that "family rule was not established in the state", he said in an apparent reference to the DMK.
"People did not vote for us. They voted for our dear Amma, who is like a God. Her intention was that they should throw away the family rule from Tamil Nadu", he said.
Referring to the 2011 expulsion of AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala from the party by Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam asked if the MLAs could aid the "family rule" of such expelled persons.
"Isn't this a betrayal of Amma and the people who had reposed faith in her by voting for her?" he asked.
Panneerselvam said he had been insisting that a government desired by Jayalalaithaa should continue and expressed joy that among others, Mylapore MLA and former DGP R Nataraj had backed him.
Asking the legislators to "think freely as AIADMK workers", Panneerselvam urged them to cast their vote in such a way that it would not draw the "ire" of the people.
"For the fulfilment of Amma's wishes and those of students, youngsters, women and all the people of Tamil Nadu please vote against (the Chief Minister) in tomorrow's vote of confidence", he said, adding the MLAs should use this "last minute opportunity in the right way".
He urged the family members and the constituency members of the respective MLAs to advise them appropriately on this matter.
