On 1st July (Wednesday), DMK president and former chief minister M.K. Stalin and opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin were accused by Tamil Nadu Minister for Energy Resources and Law R. Nirmalkumar of assigning party leader MLA V. Senthilbalaji the responsibility of “luring” TVK MLAs by offering them up to ₹50 crore with the goal of overthrowing the government. Tamil Nadu is now rocked by an escalating political controversy due to accusations and counteraccusations of “horse-trading” between the ruling party and opposition.
The row erupted on 29th June when TVK MLA N Elaiyaraja submitted a complaint at Chennai’s D1 Triplicane Police Station, charging that a man named Thirunavukkarasu had approached him on behalf of members of a major political party. He asserted to represent the consultancy firm Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS). According to the complaint, Elaiyaraja was promised up to ₹35 crore as an inducement to vote in support of a planned no-confidence motion against the speaker of the state legislative assembly.
The MLA added that after turning down the offer, he was intimidated and threatened against disclosing the exchange. Afterwards, three people, including Thirunavukkarasu alongside DMK leader V Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok, were arrested by the authorities. Agencies stated that the plan was to bring down the current government by orchestrating the simultaneous resignations of 15 TVK MLAs.
Nirmalkumar accused, “DMK is trying to poach our MLAs. It has now been caught red-handed by police. They tried to purchase our MLA for ₹35 crore. The DMK has been trying to poach our MLAs for the last 40 days. Even our alliance party MLAs were approached.”
He pointed out, “That is why Stalin keeps repeatedly saying the government will not last long and that elections will come soon. The people of Tamil Nadu should closely watch what they are doing. After looting thousands of crores (rupees) in the past five years, they are now unable to remain idle and are trying to purchase MLAs through backdoor means.”
DMK declared that MDMK chairman Vaiko had openly acknowledged that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay had tried “horse trading” of its two MLAs and urged the governor to intervene, as well as the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to register an FIR in the matter. The event happened a few days after MDMK decided to support TVK and left the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA).
DMK also stated that Vijay has not fulfilled his commitments, and the TVK is fabricating accusations to cover up its shortcomings. “He has not fulfilled any of his promises. They (TVK alliance) are now involved in horse-trading. Why should MK Stalin retire with such a useless CM in power,” questioned DMK leader TKS Elangovan.
“There is some game behind this action. DMK has never been involved in purchasing MLAs from TVK. Somebody is telling a lie,” stressed party spokesperson TKS Elangovan.
AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami likewise echoed, “Between poaching MLAs from rival parties through horse-trading and bringing into their ‘sofa alliance’ the very parties they once branded as a ‘cash-box alliance’ before the elections, one is left wondering where the people’s welfare stands in all of this.”
