CHENNAI: Shifting loyalties of MLAs belonging to the Dravidian parties have increased the number of byelections in Tamil Nadu.
While death of members had caused by-elections to three constituencies since May 2006, ‘shifting loyalties’ of MLAs during the past six months have resulted in byelection in four constituencies, including the one to be held for Tiruchendur Assembly constituency which fell vacant on Friday with the resignation of AIADMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan.
In the 13th Assembly, Raja Kannappan (DMK) was the first MLA to shift his loyalty to the AIADMK. MDMK’s former presidium chairman M Kannappan was the next to return to his parent party DMK. Soon after his move, his colleague and another MLA N Ramakrishnan also joined the DMK.
The latest arrival from the AIADMK to the DMK is for mer Minister Radhakrishnan.
With his resignation, Tamil Nadu will be facing the ninth by-election after the DMK government assumed office.
The first by-election in the current Assembly was caused by the death of HR and CE Minister PTR Palanivel Rajan who was elected from Madurai Central constituency. The second by-election was held for Madurai West constituency following the death of AIADMK MLA S V Shanmugam.
Later, Thirumangalam seat fell vacant following the death of MDMK MLA Veera Ilavarasan.
Former Ministers C Aranganayakam, K Ponnusamy and TM Selvaganapathy were among those who had quit the AIADMK in the recent years and joined the DMK.
Senior leaders of the MDMK Gingee Ramachandran and L Ganesan functioned as a rebel group in MDMK and later joined the DMK.