Tamil Nadu turmoil: Governor Vidyasagar Rao sends status report to President

Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has sent a report to President Pranab Mukherjee about the incidents that occurred in the state assembly during the floor test on February 18.

Chief Minister E K Palaniswami had won the vote of confidence by a steep margin amid stormy situation in the House.

The Governor has sent a report to the President and the Centre, official sources said without divulging further details.

Earlier, the Governor had sought a “factual report” from Assembly Secretary A M P Jamaludeen on the entire proceedings from the time the House assembled at 11 AM on February 18 till it was adjourned sine die at 3.27 PM after adoption of the confidence motion.

Jamaludeen had submitted the report at the Governor’s office on February 20, two days after Palaniswami won the trust vote by a 122-11 margin.

Palaniswami had won the trust vote after eviction of DMK members and walkout by its allies, amid stormy scenes during which mikes were uprooted, chairs toppled and sheets of paper torn and hurled around.

DMK Working President M K Stalin and rebel AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, who had unsuccessfully pleaded for a secret voting on the confidence motion, had on Sunday appealed to the Governor to “nullify” the vote.

Subsequent to days of confusion over government formation after former Chief Minister Panneerselvam’s revolt against party General Secretary V K Sasikala and her conviction in an assets case on February 14, Rao had last Thursday invited Palaniswami to form the government and seek the vote of confidence in the state assembly.