AIADMK's conditional support to no-trust motion

Chennai: After Andhra Pradesh's ruling TDP on Friday pulled out of the BJP-led NDA and said it will move a no-confidence motion against the government, Tamil Nadu's AIADMK set conditions for its support to the no-trust vote.

MDMK leader Vaiko urged the AIADMK to utilise the opportunity to put pressure on the BJP-led Central government to set up a Cauvery Management Board (CMB) if it needed support against the no-confidence motion.

Former MP and AIADMK spokesperson K.C. Palanisamy told IANS: "If the Centre refuses to set up the CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) as the Supreme Court ordered, the AIADMK may support the no-trust motion."

With the third largest number of members (37) in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and Congress, the AIADMK was undecided whether to support or oppose the motion, said a senior party leader.

"The party will take a decision on the issue," the leader told IANS preferring anonymity.

The BJP and PMK have one seat each in Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu.

The leader said the possibility of the BJP government defeating the no-confidence motion was relatively high with the support from smaller parties.

"We expect the no-confidence motion to be moved by the Congress. The party is in alliance with DMK in Tamil Nadu. In short, the anti-AIADMK alliance will be moving the no-confidence motion and it may not be politically possible to support that, given the stakes at the state level," he added.

TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday discussed with party leaders the proposal to move the no-confidence motion against the Modi government.

On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed an unanimous resolution demanding the Central government to set up the CMB and CWRC as per the Supreme Court order.