CHENNAI: In a late-night twist, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran accused the TVK of attempting “horse-trading” to secure the support of his party’s lone MLA-elect, S Kamaraj, for government formation. Calling it “a mockery of democracy”, Dhinakaran said he has urged Governor Rajendra Arlekar to take serious note of the developments.
He submitted a letter signed by Kamaraj expressing support for an AIADMK-led government headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami. Talking to reporters after meeting the governor, Dhinakaran said he received the letter around 6.30 pm.
“But when television channels reported that Kamaraj has extended support to the TVK, I was shocked. I got an appointment with the governor and submitted the letter. I requested him to investigate the matter. Either the letter issued in Kamaraj’s name is forged, or horse-trading is taking place. “How can Vijay, who is indulging in corrupt practices to form the government, deliver a clean government?”
Significantly, while explaining what his MLA did, Dhinakaran also admitted that there was an effort to seek an invitation for AIADMK to form the next government. “If the TVK could not prove majority, the AIADMK should be asked to stake a claim for forming the government, and the AMMK should also play a role in that.
So, we received the supporting letter from Kamaraj, and very soon, I saw news about Kamaraj supporting the TVK,” he said. Interestingly, a few hours after TTV said Kamaraj had gone missing, the MLA-elect turned up at the Lok Bhavan.
At midnight, Dhinakaran, addressed the media in the presence of Kamaraj outside the Lok Bhavan and said, “Certain TVK people had submitted to the Lok Bhavan a photocopy of a letter purportedly signed by Kamaraj extending support to TVK. When the Lok Bhavan enquired the authenticity of the letter, it was found to be forged. We will lodge a police complaint.”
Sharing a video purportedly showing Kamaraj writing the letter, the TVK claimed that he wrote it himself and termed Dhinakaran’s charges false. Meanwhile, several MLAs-elect of AIADMK staying at a resort in Puducherry returned to Chennai on Friday as the party could convene a meeting to elect the legislature party leader.