CHENNAI: A rift seems to be brewing within the three AIADMK MLAs who are facing a motion for their disqualification. While two of the three MLAs had moved the Supreme Court and got an interim stay of the motion, the third MLA A Prabhu on Tuesday instead chose to approach the Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal seeking more time to file his response. All three are facing the motion on charges of supporting the rebel leader Dhinakaran.
On Friday, when the other two MLAs – E Rathinasababathy and VT Kalaiselvan - filed the petition in Supreme Court, they said that Prabhu did not join them in filing the case only because he was out of station. They said Prabhu will file a similar petition separately in the Supreme Court on Monday. However, when queried on Tuesday why Prabhu rather chose to approach the Speaker, Rathinasababathy told Express, “It is up to Prabhu to comment on his decision of not approaching the court and I have nothing to say.”
His comment was in sharp contrast to his statements on Friday when he said all of them were functioning as a camp within AIADMK and was even recognised by the courts. Prabhu was not available for his comments on who he is deviating from the actions of the two other MLAs. Speaking to reporters after emerging from the Assembly secretary’s office, he told reporters that he went to file a petition seeking seven more days to submit his response. He said that Assembly officials instead informed him that the Supreme Court’s interim stay on the motion by its order on Monday will apply to him also and hence he need not submit his response to the notice.
However, later talking to a TV news channel, he said that the Assembly officials informed him that his petition seeking more time will be sent to the Speaker and his decision will be informed to him.The ruling AIADMK whip S Rajendran had filed a petition with the Speaker on April 30 seeking disqualification of the three MLAs. The opposition DMK had subsequently filed a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.