Hours Before Trust Vote, Camp Sasikala Loses Support Of Another Legislator | Read

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who is a proxy of AIADMK chief VK Sasikala now in jail in corruption case, will today seek a vote of confidence to prove he has majority support in the legislature, at a special session called by the state's Governor C Vidyasagar Rao. The trust vote in the state assembly is likely to see some tight-rope walk, with the rival AIADMK faction led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam joined by main opposition DMK to vote against the government. Mr Palaniswami will need to demonstrate on the floor of the 234-member House, the support of at least half or 117 legislators. He has with him now 122 of the ruling AIADMK's 134 MLAs, excluding the Speaker, which is a slim six more than the majority mark. Another lawmaker from Mr Palaniswami camp said this morning that he will not support him claiming his decision was in sync with "public opinion."