Ousted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran on Sunday removed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami from the party’s Salem District Secretary Post, ANI reported. Dinakaran replaced Palaniswami with S K Selvam.

On Saturday, Dinakaran had sacked Chief Whip S Rajendran from a key party post, just days after he had asked for the disqualification of the 19 MLAs who withdrew support for the chief minister. Over the last week, Dinakaran has sacked five ministers from party posts and appointed his loyalists instead. He had said that all appointments were being made with the approval of jailed AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala. However, it is unclear if he has the authority to make such appointments.

Dinakaran has been at odds with the party since its two factions, led by Chief Minister Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, merged.

Opposition wants floor test

Leaders from the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam met Governor Vidyasagar Rao on Sunday and urged him to order Palaniswami to prove his majority in a floor test, regional media reported. They alleged that Palaniswami’s government was in the minority as there were only 113 MLAs on his side, and added that they would go to the President if the Governor does not act.