CHENNAI: DMK and AIADMK on Saturday separately met Governor R V Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan and submitted petitions alleging that the ruling TVK is luring opposition MLAs to switch sides with promises of money and power. Both parties also sought the governor’s intervention, alleging misuse of power by the ruling party and violations of constitutional norms.
DMK claimed that Nagercoil MLA S Austin was offered a ministerial berth of his choice if he joined the ruling party. It also alleged that Veppanahalli MLA P S Srinivasan was promised Rs 50 crore and the post of a board chairman to resign from the Assembly and switch to TVK.
The DMK delegation — comprising organising secretary R S Bharathi, MP P Wilson, MLA S Austin and former MLA E Paranthaman — in their memorandum also accused Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of attempting to persuade two of its MLAs from Sirkazhi and Kadayanallur, who were elected on the Rising Sun symbol, to resign and recontest on the TVK symbol. The delegation referred to recent remarks made by MDMK general secretary Vaiko in support of its allegation.
The party also alleged that Tiruchendur MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested in a defamation case and detained at the Thoothukudi SP’s office for nearly five hours. DMK alleged that he was pressured to resign as MLA and join TVK. The party also questioned the chief minister’s personal security arrangements. Speaking to reporters later, R S Bharathi accused the TVK government of concentrating on “horse trading” instead of governance.
Later in the day, an AIADMK delegation led by former minister Agri S S Krishnamoorthy and MP Inbathurai also met the governor and submitted a petition, alleging that six of its former MLAs had resigned and joined TVK after being induced by the ruling party.
It further claimed that attempts were being made to lure more legislators through offers of money, ministerial and other posts. Krishnamoorthy urged the governor to exercise his powers under Article 167 of the Constitution and seek reports from the chief secretary and other senior officials on the allegations.
Lok Bhavan, in a post on X, said the DMK memorandum raised concerns over the alleged illegal arrest, custodial coercion and attempts to induce elected representatives to defect through the misuse of police machinery. It also referred to allegations of inducements offered to MLAs.
In another post on X, the Lok Bhavan said the AIADMK delegation sought constitutional intervention into the alleged horse-trading of MLAs, engineered resignations and the subversion of the electoral mandate. The party sought constitutional intervention, an independent inquiry and appropriate action, the post stated.