Chennai, May 13 (PTI) A section of AIADMK MLAs had cross-voted in favour of the TVK government in its floor test on Wednesday falling to the “lure” of cabinet posts and what they did was “unfair and illegal,” party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami alleged.
A total of 25 AIADMK MLAs led by senior leaders SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam had supported the C Joseph Vijay-led government during its confidence vote.
“We have won 47 assembly seats by highlighting AIADMK’s achievement and people’s welfare measures from 2011 and the people have voted for the party’s Two Leaves symbol”, Palaniswami, addressed as EPS, told reporters after the assembly session.
“All the party cadre including at the grassroot level have campaigned to secure the victory for the party to show its identity”, he said and alleged that the Velumani faction has “betrayed” the functionaries by supporting TVK in the assembly.
“Some have been lured by the promise of cabinet minister posts and they took the others also down the wrong path. This is illegal, against justice,” Palaniswami added.
Stating that “victory” or “defeat” is common to any political party, Palaniswami said “this did not happen only for AIADMK. Even DMK faced a similar situation”.
He claimed that even though TVK has formed the government, the AIADMK secured a “big victory” with its 47 MLAs, besides the six from allies PMK, BJP and AMMK.
He claimed that as general secretary of the party, he had the “right” to appoint the whip.
The whip, Agri SS Krishanmurthy, had informed all the MLAs through SMS, e-mail and registered post that the party will vote against the government in the floor test, he claimed.
Asked if he would seek legal action against those who did not vote by the party’s diktat, he said “wait and watch.” The cross-voting by 25 AIADMK rebel MLAs on Wednesday made the TVK government to significantly improve its tally to 144 in the Assembly, amidst allegations of horse-trading by the opposition during the floor test. PTI SNR SNR SA
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