New Delhi: After Chief Government Whip seeking disqualification of the 19 dissident AIADMK MLAs loyal to sidelined deputy chief TV Dhinkaran, Speaker P Dhanapal has issued notice to them who have been staying at a resort in Puducherry.

The Speaker has sought their replies within seven days. The rebels, however, dismissed the move to disqualify them as "a planned drama" and said they would legally challenge it. 

"The disqualification game is a planned drama and there is actually nobody to patronise or welcome it. We will move court against Chief Whip for contempt," MLA Thangatamilselvan said. The whips approach was "ill conceived and a blind thought and we will not be cowed by any such threats," he remarked in the presence of several other legislators camping at the resort on Puducherry outskirts. He contended that Rajendran had violated procedures laid down by Supreme Court in such matters. Thangatamilselvan also said he had not received the Speakers notice so far. 

Another pro-Dhinakaran legislator P Vetrivel said: "We have nowhere said we will vote against this government." The group only wanted a change in the chief minister, he told reporters in Chennai. The MLAs had met the Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao a day after the merger of two AIADMK factions led by K Palaniswami and former chief minister O Panneerselvam, posing a threat to stability of the government.