CHENNAI: The government, headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, secured the support of 144 MLAs and sailed through the confidence vote on Wednesday. While 25 AIADMK MLAs of the group led by former ministers C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani voted in favour of the TVK government, 22 MLAs backing AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palanisami voted against the motion.
The 59 MLAs of the DMK and DMDK MLA Premallatha Vijayakant abstained from voting by staging a walkout. Four MLAs of the PMK and one MLA of the BJP remained neutral.
Within hours of the vote, Palaniswami, through party advocates wing secretary I S Inbadurai and senior leader Thalavai N Sundaram, wrote to Speaker J C D Prabhakar to disqualify the 25 MLAs for acting against the directive given by the AIADMK Whip Agri S S Krishnamurthy by supporting the TVK government. Inbadurai told TNIE that the speaker has to take action on this representation within 90 days. Also, Palaniswami divested 12 of the 25 MLAs of their party posts and appointed new office-bearers in their place.
Apart from the post-poll allies of the TVK—the Congress, Left parties, VCK and IUML—the lone AMMK MLA S Kamaraj also voted in favour of the TVK government.
Other allies of the DMK—including the DMDK and KMDK—criticised the government and opposed the confidence vote. Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin strongly criticised the four-day-old Vijay government, stating that the party’s alleged decision to join hands with the AIADMK breakaway faction contradicted his claims of offering ‘clean governance’.
Premallatha, Palaniswami and Udhayanidhi all referred to allegations of the TVK indulging in horse-trading to secure a majority for the government.
‘AIADMK MLAs may be disqualified for TVK support’
Velumani was also allowed to speak by the speaker despite opposition from the Palaniswami faction.
After the vote, CM Vijay assured the Assembly that his government is guided by the ideals of Periyar, Kamarajar, Ambedkar, Velu Nachiyar and Anjalai Ammal, and would uphold social justice, equality, secularism and true democracy. He said the administration would work for ordinary people without caste, religious or political discrimination, while protecting Tamil culture and acting with courage and civility.
Stressing that the government was formed not for power or authority but to serve the people who trusted it, he said it would be inclusive, non-intimidating and focused solely on public welfare. He also thanked alliance leaders and legislators for supporting the government.
Asked if the 25 AIADMK MLAs voting in favour of the TVK government will incur disqualification as MLAs, senior lawyer K M Vijayan told TNIE, “These are clearly grounds for disqualification since all these MLAs contested on the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol and took oath as members of the AIADMK.”
On the argument that since the speaker has not recognised the whip appointed by the Palaniswami faction, the directive given by him to the 47 AIADMK MLAs is invalid, Vijayan said, “Appointing a whip is an internal affair of a party and the speaker does not decide it.”
Former speaker M Appavu of the DMK told TNIE that the 25 AIADMK MLAs supporting the TVK government against the party’s directive is a clear case for disqualification. “If the AIADMK general secretary requests the speaker to disqualify the 25 MLAs who voted for the TVK government, it is a valid request as per the law. However, the speaker can take time to consider this request.”
Appavu added that the speaker has to appoint the person proposed by the leader of a political party as the whip. “If the speaker refuses, then the concerned party can move the court,” he added. Retired judge of the Madras High Court, K Chandru, said,
“What is going on in the AIADMK is only a factional fight and not a split in the party. Palaniswami possesses full powers within the party. There cannot be changes in the legislature party without changes in the party structure.”
TVK strength since poll result
May 4: Assembly election results were declared, TVK won 108 seats. The party only had 107 MLAs as party chief C Joseph Vijay contested in two seats.
May 5: The Congress, which won five seats as part of the DMK alliance, broke ties and extended support to TVK, taking the tally to 112.
May 8: The CPI and CPI(M), which had won two seats each in the DMK alliance, extended support to TVK upset over reports that the AIADMK and DMK were attempting to form the government. Their support increased the count to 116.
May 9: After prolonged deliberations, the VCK gave support letters for its MLAs to TVK. The IUML, also a DMK ally, followed suit. With this, TVK’s tally touched 120, helping it cross the majority mark.
May 11: AMMK MLA and TTV Dhinakaran loyalist Kamaraj, who had earlier denied supporting TVK and alleged that his support letter was forged, announced in the Assembly that he would back the TVK government. He was subsequently expelled from his party. The tally rose to 121.
May 12: JCD Prabhakar from Thousand Lights was elected Speaker, bringing the effective strength down to 120.
May 12: The Madras High Court restrained the TVK MLA from Tiruppattur, who had won by a margin of one vote, from participating in the confidence motion, reducing the tally to 119.
May 12: A faction of AIADMK MLAs led by former minister C Ve Shanmugam announced support for TVK. A total of 25 AIADMK MLAs voted in favour of the TVK government, taking its support to 144.
