Fourth AIADMK MLA quits, joins Vijay's TVK as Tamil Nadu crisis deepens
The AIADMK's internal rebellion has deepened with another MLA joining Vijay's ruling TVK, even as allegations of horse-trading, anti-defection battles and signs of a possible reconciliation within the opposition camp gather pace.
Tamil Nadu’s opposition AIADMK suffered another setback on Tuesday after a fourth MLA from the rebel camp led by C Ve Shanmugam and SP Velumani resigned from the Assembly and later joined the ruling TVK, intensifying the political churn within the party.
With Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya’s resignation being accepted by Speaker JCD Prabhakar, the AIADMK’s strength in the 234-member Assembly has now dropped from 47 to 43.
The latest development came a day after three rebel AIADMK legislators, Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama and S Jayakumar, resigned from the Assembly and formally joined Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s TVK.
Subaya met Speaker Prabhakar on Tuesday and submitted his resignation letter shortly after senior leaders from the Edappadi K Palaniswami camp urged the Speaker not to accept the resignations of the three MLAs who had quit on May 25.
Prabhakar later confirmed that Subaya’s resignation had been accepted.
Soon after, Subaya joined the TVK at the party headquarters in Panayur, where he was welcomed by TVK general secretary and state minister N Anand, who presented him with a shawl and handed over the party membership card.
Subaya, however, avoided directly confirming his political move before formally joining the party.
“It is not a sin to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. I will meet him if I get the chance,” he told reporters earlier in the day.
REBEL CAMP WEAKENS
Subaya is now the fourth MLA from the Shanmugam-Velumani rebel bloc to quit the Assembly, further weakening the dissident group that had broken ranks with the AIADMK leadership during the May 13 trust vote.
The rebel faction had earlier defied the AIADMK whip and voted in favour of the TVK government, triggering internal turmoil within the opposition party.
In another major development, rebel MLA Balakrishna Reddy returned to the Edappadi K Palaniswami camp, indicating cracks within the dissident bloc.
Senior leaders from the rebel faction, including former ministers Natham R Viswanathan and P Thangamani, also visited Palaniswami’s residence on Tuesday, fuelling speculation over possible reconciliation efforts between the two camps.
Following the latest exits and shifting loyalties, sources said the strength of the rebel camp has reduced significantly.
AIADMK ALLEGES ‘HORSE-TRADING’
The AIADMK accused the ruling TVK of encouraging defections and alleged “horse-trading” to strengthen its position in the Assembly.
Senior AIADMK leader and party whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy said the Speaker should not have accepted the resignations because the party’s plea seeking disqualification of 25 rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law is still pending.
“We had sought action against 25 AIADMK MLAs under the anti-defection law for defying Palaniswami’s diktat during the confidence vote. When that plea is pending, accepting resignations contravenes the rules,” Krishnamurthy told reporters.
He alleged that the three MLAs who resigned on Monday were given “laminated TVK membership cards” inside the Secretariat within minutes of submitting their resignations.
“People are asking whether this is the Secretariat or TVK headquarters,” he said.
Krishnamurthy also accused the Vijay government of indulging in political poaching.
“To establish his rule through the back door, this government is doing horse-trading at the speed of a horse,” he alleged.
Rajya Sabha MP and AIADMK Advocates’ Wing Secretary IS Inbadurai also questioned the legality of accepting resignations while anti-defection proceedings were pending.
“You cannot escape through the back door,” he said, adding that the party may move court if no action is taken.
ALLIES EXPRESS DISCOMFORT
The developments also triggered unease among some parties backing the TVK government.
Congress MP S Jothimani publicly raised concerns over “horse-trading” and warned against adopting different political standards in Tamil Nadu and other states.
“The Congress party can never take a dual stand of supporting horse-trading in Tamil Nadu and opposing it outside the state,” she said.
She also referred to Rahul Gandhi’s stand against defections and attempts to topple elected governments.
CPI (M), which supports the TVK government, and coalition partner VCK also voiced discomfort over opposition MLAs resigning and joining the ruling party.
CPI (M) state secretary P Shanmugam said, “We are unable to see it as a move without anticipating anything in return.”
VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan said the TVK leadership should avoid giving room for criticism over such developments.
TVK REJECTS CHARGES
TVK leader and Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan denied allegations of horse-trading.
“The state knows who did horse-trading and who tried to become chief minister with the help of the DMK,” he said in an apparent swipe at Palaniswami.
Asked whether the defected MLAs would be fielded again in the likely bypolls, Sengottaiyan replied, “Time will tell.”
TVK sources indicated that Kumaravel, Sathyabama and Jayakumar could be given party tickets on the TVK’s whistle symbol in the upcoming by-elections.
ASSEMBLY NUMBERS SHIFT
The political turmoil comes weeks after a group of AIADMK MLAs led by C Ve Shanmugam extended support to Vijay’s TVK government following the April 23 Assembly elections.
TVK had emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats and later formed the government with support from Congress, IUML, VCK and Left parties.
A section of AIADMK MLAs subsequently aligned with the ruling bloc, setting off the ongoing power struggle within the opposition party.
Tamil Nadu’s opposition AIADMK suffered another setback on Tuesday after a fourth MLA from the rebel camp led by C Ve Shanmugam and SP Velumani resigned from the Assembly and later joined the ruling TVK, intensifying the political churn within the party.
With Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya’s resignation being accepted by Speaker JCD Prabhakar, the AIADMK’s strength in the 234-member Assembly has now dropped from 47 to 43.
The latest development came a day after three rebel AIADMK legislators, Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama and S Jayakumar, resigned from the Assembly and formally joined Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s TVK.
Subaya met Speaker Prabhakar on Tuesday and submitted his resignation letter shortly after senior leaders from the Edappadi K Palaniswami camp urged the Speaker not to accept the resignations of the three MLAs who had quit on May 25.
Prabhakar later confirmed that Subaya’s resignation had been accepted.
Soon after, Subaya joined the TVK at the party headquarters in Panayur, where he was welcomed by TVK general secretary and state minister N Anand, who presented him with a shawl and handed over the party membership card.
Subaya, however, avoided directly confirming his political move before formally joining the party.
“It is not a sin to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. I will meet him if I get the chance,” he told reporters earlier in the day.
REBEL CAMP WEAKENS
Subaya is now the fourth MLA from the Shanmugam-Velumani rebel bloc to quit the Assembly, further weakening the dissident group that had broken ranks with the AIADMK leadership during the May 13 trust vote.
The rebel faction had earlier defied the AIADMK whip and voted in favour of the TVK government, triggering internal turmoil within the opposition party.
In another major development, rebel MLA Balakrishna Reddy returned to the Edappadi K Palaniswami camp, indicating cracks within the dissident bloc.
Senior leaders from the rebel faction, including former ministers Natham R Viswanathan and P Thangamani, also visited Palaniswami’s residence on Tuesday, fuelling speculation over possible reconciliation efforts between the two camps.
Following the latest exits and shifting loyalties, sources said the strength of the rebel camp has reduced significantly.
AIADMK ALLEGES ‘HORSE-TRADING’
The AIADMK accused the ruling TVK of encouraging defections and alleged “horse-trading” to strengthen its position in the Assembly.
Senior AIADMK leader and party whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy said the Speaker should not have accepted the resignations because the party’s plea seeking disqualification of 25 rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law is still pending.
“We had sought action against 25 AIADMK MLAs under the anti-defection law for defying Palaniswami’s diktat during the confidence vote. When that plea is pending, accepting resignations contravenes the rules,” Krishnamurthy told reporters.
He alleged that the three MLAs who resigned on Monday were given “laminated TVK membership cards” inside the Secretariat within minutes of submitting their resignations.
“People are asking whether this is the Secretariat or TVK headquarters,” he said.
Krishnamurthy also accused the Vijay government of indulging in political poaching.
“To establish his rule through the back door, this government is doing horse-trading at the speed of a horse,” he alleged.
Rajya Sabha MP and AIADMK Advocates’ Wing Secretary IS Inbadurai also questioned the legality of accepting resignations while anti-defection proceedings were pending.
“You cannot escape through the back door,” he said, adding that the party may move court if no action is taken.
ALLIES EXPRESS DISCOMFORT
The developments also triggered unease among some parties backing the TVK government.
Congress MP S Jothimani publicly raised concerns over “horse-trading” and warned against adopting different political standards in Tamil Nadu and other states.
“The Congress party can never take a dual stand of supporting horse-trading in Tamil Nadu and opposing it outside the state,” she said.
She also referred to Rahul Gandhi’s stand against defections and attempts to topple elected governments.
CPI (M), which supports the TVK government, and coalition partner VCK also voiced discomfort over opposition MLAs resigning and joining the ruling party.
CPI (M) state secretary P Shanmugam said, “We are unable to see it as a move without anticipating anything in return.”
VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan said the TVK leadership should avoid giving room for criticism over such developments.
TVK REJECTS CHARGES
TVK leader and Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan denied allegations of horse-trading.
“The state knows who did horse-trading and who tried to become chief minister with the help of the DMK,” he said in an apparent swipe at Palaniswami.
Asked whether the defected MLAs would be fielded again in the likely bypolls, Sengottaiyan replied, “Time will tell.”
TVK sources indicated that Kumaravel, Sathyabama and Jayakumar could be given party tickets on the TVK’s whistle symbol in the upcoming by-elections.
ASSEMBLY NUMBERS SHIFT
The political turmoil comes weeks after a group of AIADMK MLAs led by C Ve Shanmugam extended support to Vijay’s TVK government following the April 23 Assembly elections.
TVK had emerged as the single-largest party with 108 seats and later formed the government with support from Congress, IUML, VCK and Left parties.
A section of AIADMK MLAs subsequently aligned with the ruling bloc, setting off the ongoing power struggle within the opposition party.
