Four former AIADMK MLAs face an anti-defection inquiry before the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker after joining the TVK. The petition was filed by AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami, who has also been summoned for the hearing.
Anti-Defection Inquiry Against Former MLAs
Four former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs who resigned from their Assembly seats are scheduled to appear before Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabakaran on Tuesday for an inquiry under the Anti-Defection Law.
The four former legislators- Esakki Subbaiah, Maragatham Kumaravel, Jayakumar, and Sathyabama- will present themselves before Speaker Prabakaran for further proceedings regarding the disqualification petition filed against them. The petition, moved by the AIADMK under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami, seeks the disqualification of the four former MLAs under the Anti-Defection Law. The AIADMK alleged that after these four candidates won their seats on the party’s official ticket, the legislators subsequently submitted their resignations and switched allegiance to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Following the AIADMK’s petition, the Speaker had already conducted two rounds of inquiry with the four former MLAs. They have now been summoned once again today for the next phase of the investigation. Additionally, the Speaker has directed AIADMK Chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami to be present during the inquiry today. Representing Palaniswami, party leaders Agri Krishnamurthy and Thalavai Sundaram will appear before the Speaker to present their side of the case.
Mass Defection to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam
This inquiry comes after more than 1,000 functionaries, including former Members of Parliament and former MLAs, joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) from the AIADMK at the party’s headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai on August 1. The induction programme was held under the leadership of TVK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources N Anand. Among those who joined the party were former MP M Udhayakumar, former MLA KS Srinivasan, and former MLA G R Mala, along with over 1,000 key office-bearers and supporters–the majority from the AIADMK and a few from regional parties. The event was attended by Tamil Nadu Minister for Food and Civil Supplies P. Venkataramanan, Cholavandan MLA, MV Karuppaiah, former Minister C Vijayabaskar, former MLA K Maragatham Kumaravel, and former MP Balaganga. (ANI)
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