CHENNAI:
The Chief Whip of the ruling AIADMK S. Rajendran on Friday met Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal and submitted a petition to take appropriate action against three legislators for their anti-party activities.
Speaking to reporters here, Rajendran said he had met the Speaker and submitted a petition to take action against three legislators – A.Prabhu representing the Kallakuruchi constituency, Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi) and V.T. Kalaiselvan (Virudhachalam) for their anti-party activities.
Rajendran said the party had got more proof of their such prejudicial activities and had, hence, given a petition to the Speaker. He said photographs of the legislators with the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) General Secretary T.T.V.Dhinakaran have also been been submitted.
All this has set off speculation here about whether there is going to be a rerun of the earlier disqualification of 18 legislators by the Speaker. The by-elections for 18 assembly constituencies were held on April 18, while the remaining four will vote on May 19.
In the 234 member Tamil Nadu assembly, the ruling AIADMK has 114 members (including the Speaker), the DMK have 88, the Congress are eight, while the IUML and the Independent member represent one constituency each.
The AIADMK has to win just four seats in the by-elections to attain a simple majority. Factoring in the possible switching of camps by some lawmakers, the AIADMK has to win seven or eight seats in order to be safe.
On the other hand, the DMK has to win all the 22 seats to take the tally, along with its allies – Congress and IUML – to 119, or just one more than that required for a simple majority.
The DMK President M.K. Stalin said during his campaign that there will be a change of government in Tamil Nadu, once there is a change in the Centre after the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Analysts are of the view that even if Dhinakaran’s AMMK wins a couple of seats, the DMK’s dream of coming to power by toppling the AIADMK government may not come true.
When queried whether the AIADMK is seeking action against the three legislators as it was not confident of winning the required number of seats in the by-elections, Rajendran said the party will win all the seats it is contesting.
