CHENNAI: The DMK on Monday filed yet another complaint with Governor Rajendra Arlekar and DVAC alleging “systematic horse trading” by the TVK government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. In the complaint, the DMK cited former Karur MLA MR Vijayabhaskar’s “public admission” of being approached by the TVK as fresh evidence against “horse trading”.
In a letter to the DVAC director and the governor, DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi said the new material “directly corroborates and reinforces” allegations made in his original complaint of July 1, which had accused Vijay and MDMK chief Vaiko of criminally conspiring to induce DMK MLAs to resign through “unlawful inducements, political assurances and other corrupt practices” and join the TVK.
Bharathi pointed to Vijayabhaskar’s July 2 press conference, held days after his resignation as Karur MLA, where the former AIADMK MLA said the TVK had approached him and that he intended to join the party. Bharathi called this “direct, first-hand evidence” of inducement.
Recalling Vaiko’s earlier statement, Bharathi alleged that these developments point to a “systematic, two-pronged strategy” by the ruling party to alter the Assembly’s composition outside the constitutional process, through inducement of legislators willing to resign. He said this strikes at the anti-defection framework under the Tenth Schedule.
Citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in Lalita Kumari vs State of UP, which holds FIR registration mandatory once a cognisable offence is disclosed regardless of the accused’s status, Bharathi urged the DVAC to register a case and conduct an “impartial and comprehensive investigation,” including against the CM.
No one invited me to TVK: Vijayabhaskar
Karur: MR Vijayabhaskar, who recently joined the TVK after resigning as a Karur MLA, on Monday said no one from the party had invited him to join and that his decision was driven solely by dissatisfaction with the AIADMK leadership. Speaking to reporters in Karur, Vijayabhaskar said his remarks at the event in Mamallapuram, where he formally joined TVK, had been misconstrued. “No TVK leader, office-bearer or MLA approached or invited me to join the party. It was entirely my decision,” he said.
