The DMK that had been closely watching the political developments in the state over the past few days has finally decided to step in.
On Sunday, DMK leaders, including DMK Principal secretary Duraimurugan, MP Kanimozhi and MP RS Bharathi, met TN Governor C Vidyasagar Rao seeking a trust vote in the Assembly.
Vijayadharani, Congress MLA, and Abubakkar, IUML MLA -- two parties that are allies of the DMK -- were also present at the meet.
Party sources say that the decision to meet the Governor was taken as the party felt EPS no longer had the numbers and that it would be a waste of political opportunity if the DMK did not push for a trust vote.
The DMK had also been mulling the option of approaching the court.
A leader told TNM, "First we wanted to go to the Governor. It's not like we expect him to act, considering his track record. And if he does not act, we will think of other options."
The party intends to approach the President next if the Governor fails to act within a specific period of time.
"The leader will decide on meeting the President. We've submitted the memorandum to the Governor. We will wait and see what kind of action he takes and will then decide on the next course of action," DMK MP Kanimozhi said.
In a letter to the Governor, Leader of Opposition and DMK leader MK Stalin wrote,
"Apart from DMK, the Congress Legislature Party, IUML party in the Assembly and all other opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have already given a request to your good office, to direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority in the House."
"Conventions of the Parliamentary practice and the law laid down through various decisions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and High Courts have been grossly violated by not requiring a floor test in such a situation. It is a well-established convention that in case of doubt on the confidence enjoyed by the Ministry in the House, the Hon’ble Governor has to ask the Chief Minister immediately to seek a vote of confidence from the House. Allowing the Government headed by Thiru Edapdi.K. Palanisamy, which has lost majority, is not prudent and further amounts to violating the landmark guidelines in S.R Bommai case."
He further added that "If, the present minority Government is allowed by Hon’ble Governor to continue any further, it will send a wrong signal to the electorate and the Nation as if the present government enjoys majority in the Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly. Any delay in directing immediate floor test will only encourage horse trading and unsavoury political manipulations in the State that in all certainty will injure democracy."
"I therefore request immediate intervention of Hon’ble Governor into the present Constitutional crisis in the State and direct immediate floor test to prove the majority of the Government headed by Thiru Edapdi.K. Palanisamy and kindly take all measures to restore good governance and democracy in the State."
The Governor flew back to Chennai on Saturday. Earlier, the DMK and the CPI(M) had written to him asking for a trust vote.
Trouble for the TN government has been increasing with a rise in the number of MLA's supporting "ousted" AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.
Dhinakaran currently has the support of 21 MLAs from the earlier 19. On Friday, VT Kalaiselvan from Vridachalam extended his support to Dhinakaran.
In his first reaction since the AIADMK merger between the OPS and EPS factions, Dhinakaran on Saturday called the present turmoil a "war between sacrifice and betrayal".
He stated that no one can threaten him except God. "Money is not a big thing, they can't buy MLAs with money. Those 19 MLAs are not afraid of anyone, they want to teach a lesson to the betrayers who want to evict the General Secretary from the party. They are behind me and the real AIADMK cadres are behind me."
Amidst demands from the DMK and Congress for a floor test in the Assembly, Dhinakaran said he hoped the Governor would consider the demands put forth by the MLAs who had pledged support to him. These MLAs had met the Governor on Tuesday, and handed over individual letters stating they lacked confidence in Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and withdrew their earlier support to him.