AIADMK MLAs to be present at State Secretariat tomorrow

Chennai, July 18 (UNI) In a surprise development, the AIADMK High command, one of the key constituents of the newly-formed United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), has asked its party MLAs to be present at the State Secretariat tomorrow.

Though sources in the AIADMK and its ally MDMK were tight-lipped about it, the AIADMK's decision, summoning its MLAs to the State Secretariat assumed significance as the polling for the Presidential elections would take place tomorrow.

The UNPA, a conclave of eight regional parties, after making a vain bid to muster support for a second term for President A P J Abdul Kalam, decided to abstain from voting in the polls.

Rumours were rife that differences had reportedly cropped up among the UNPA partners and that the AIADMK might ask its MLAs to vote in favour of BJP-led NDA-backed candidate and Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who was pitted against Congress-backed Ms Pratiba Patil.

AIADMK has a strength of 60 MLAs in the State Assembly and its ally MDMK, six.

UNI