A fresh political row is brewing in Tamil Nadu over the exit of a fourth AIADMK MLA from the party a day after three others, belonging to the Edappadi K Palaniswami faction, submitted their resignations to the Speaker and are said to be seeking to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The move has drawn criticism from senior AIADMK leaders, who accused the party of “compromising”.
Three AIADMK legislators, including Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama and S Jayakumar, submitted their resignations to JCD chief Prabhakar on Monday and met Tamil Nadu minister Aadhav Arjuna to join TVK.
Meanwhile, MLA Esakki Subaya IV met the Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday to submit his resignation, which was initially rejected because it was typed and not handwritten. Minutes later, Sabaya submitted a handwritten resignation, which was then accepted.
AIADMK leaders allege ‘horse trading’
The AIADMK faction led by President Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday appealed to the Speaker that the resignation of the three MPs tendered on Monday should not be accepted, citing alleged legal and procedural loopholes behind their stepping down.
The party alleged that the three MLAs had joined the ruling TVK even before announcing their resignation, news agency PTI reported.
Senior Agri ‘whip’ leaders SS Krishnamoorthy, OS Manian, N Thalvai Sundaram and IS Inbadurai met the association president on Tuesday and asked to withdraw the resignations.
Krishnamurthy also claimed that a “laminated TVK membership card” was given to the three people who resigned. He questioned the move, saying that if “the government encourages such resignations, there will be a major escalation, and the government must step forward to stop this,” according to news agency PTI.
Pointing out that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had promised clean governance, the senior leader alleged that “to establish his rule through the back door, this government is making bargains at the speed of a horse.”
Why can’t MLAs resign?
Senior AIADMK leader IS Inbadurai, who is also secretary of the party’s lawyers wing, said petitions seeking action against the 25 rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law were already pending before the Speaker. The petitions were filed after the lawmakers allegedly defied the party whip and voted against the government during the floor test.
In view of the pending disqualification proceedings, the Speaker cannot legally accept their resignations, Inbadurai said.
“The legal issue is that he (Speaker) cannot accept his resignation” in such circumstances, he said, PTI reported.
Inbadurai added that MLAs cannot resign when action is demanded under the anti-defection law. “You can’t escape through the back door.”
“They met a minister from TVK before being notified of their resignation… and dramatized their official joining (late evening). However, the notification of their resignation did not come (in the government gazette). So we sought not to accept their resignation,” he said, as quoted by PTI.
A party source said the three are likely to get TVK tickets to contest the next by-election on the party’s whistle symbol, PTI reported.
The Speaker of the House says resignation according to the House rules
Despite criticism from senior AIADMK leaders, AIADMK president Prabhakar, who accepted the resignation of three MLAs on Monday, said the resignation was as per the assembly rules and was submitted personally.
“Dharapuram MLA Sathyabama, Madhuranthakam MLA Maragatham Kumaravel, and Perundurai MLA Jayakumar formally submitted their resignation letters from their positions as Members of the Legislative Assembly with effect from today. Since the resignations were valid as per the rules of the Assembly, they have been accepted. The MLAs must submit their resignation letters in their own handwriting and submit them personally, without sending them through others. If this procedure is not followed, an investigation may be conducted,” ANI quoted the news agency as saying. JCD Prabhakar said: “Since they submitted the letters personally, the decision was taken immediately.”
DMK chief MK Stalin criticizes the move
The move drew criticism from DMK chief MK Stalin, who described it as “horse trading” at the speed of a horse.
In a post on
He pointed out the factional divide within the AIADMK camp during the confidence vote, saying: “‘Bargaining’ is going very fast! Scene One: In the absence of a majority, TVK seeks support from the leaders of its alliance partners. Scene Two: Negotiating a price to secure a supportive vote for a faction within the AIADMK during the confidence motion – with an AMMK member selected as a reward as well. Scene Three: Organizing the resignations of some AIADMK members and bringing them into their party – inside the Secretariat headquarters itself.”
A congressional representative criticizes the “horse trading” move.
The allied party also criticized the move, with Tamil Nadu Congress MP S Jothimani saying the party cannot adopt different norms for TN and other states.
As an alliance party, the Congress will stand with TVK founder and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to provide effective governance, but it “cannot support all the measures decided by TVK”.
“It would be wrong for anyone from Congress to justify these horse-trading. The first weapon used by the BJP to weaken democracy, and the Congress, is horse-trading,” she said, using it against elected party governments, PTI reported.
“The Congress party can never take a dual stance of supporting compromise in Tamil Nadu and opposing it outside the state. If Congress plays the role of a force that weakens democracy, it will be a historic betrayal of Gandhi, Nehru and ideology,” she added.
