The election season is in full fury in TN as the by-polls for 18 State Assembly constituencies will also be held on Thursday.
The AIADMK government is just hanging by the balance with a slender majority and it is important that the party wins most of the assembly seats to remain in power. The ruling AIADMK is leaving no stone upturned to clinch all the assembly seats in the by-elections and consolidate their position in the state.
The total strength of the State legislative Assembly is 234. There are 22 vacancies, of which 18 Assembly constituencies will go to the polls on Thursday. The AIADMK government needs at least 116 seats for continuing remaining in government. The AIADMK’s present strength is 114 without the Speaker, who can vote in case of a tie during a vote of confidence.
Meanwhile, three MLAs of the party turned Independents and it is not certain whether they will support any trust vote move. Also, three other MLAs have switched side to support rebel leader TTV Dhinakaran, who won as an Independent in the by-poll conducted for RK Nagar in Chennai, the constituency of the late Jayalalithaa.
So, if these six MLAs are not taken into account, Edappadi Palaniswami-led AIADMK government needs to win at least eight of the 18 Assembly seats that will have their by-elections on Thursday.
And if by-polls happen for four constituencies, the total Assembly strength will become 234 and the majority mark will also increase to 118. This indicates that the AIADMK government will require two more seats. Overall, winning of 10 seats in the 18 Assembly constituencies during the by-polls will help the AIADMK government complete its full term.