EPS softens, Tamil Nadu Speaker drops action against AIADMK MLAs who backed TVK in floor test

Of 47 MLAs, 25 MLAs of the AIADMK had voted for the TVK. Faction led by senior leaders such as SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam helped Vijay's party win trust vote.

File photo of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) | AIADMK/ANI

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar Tuesday said no action will be taken against the 21 AIADMK MLAs who defied the party leadership and voted in favour of Vijay’s TVK government during the floor test on 13 May.

The decision was taken after considering a request from AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) to the Speaker to not initiate disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law. Addressing the media, the Speaker said the matter was resolved after careful consideration of communications from the AIADMK leadership.

“I accept the request made by the party leader EPS and he condones the 21 MLAs who voted for the TVK government during the floor test and EPS has assured them that they will not suffer any disqualification,” said Prabhakar.

Of 47 MLAs, 25 MLAs of the AIADMK had voted for the TVK, which formed the government with support from parties including Congress, VCK, IUML, CPI, and CPI(M). While EPS had directed the party to oppose support for TVK, the faction led by senior leaders such as S.P. Velumani and C.V. Shanmugam, helped TVK to win the trust vote with 144 votes in favour.

The petitions seeking disqualification of the rebel MLAs were filed with the Speaker, but EPS later softened his stance.

Earlier, four AIADMK MLAs—K. Maragatham Kumaravel, P. Sathyabama, S. Jayakumar, and Esakki Subaya—had resigned from the assembly and formally joined the ruling TVK.

Speaker Prabhakar accepted their resignations, creating vacancies in their constituencies that will head to bypolls. The remaining 21 rebels will continue as AIADMK MLAs in the House without facing anti-defection proceedings.

The party had experienced a vertical split between the EPS-led faction and a rebel group headed by Velumani and Shanmugam, due to differences over alliance and strategy. However, last month, the AIADMK rebel faction led by S.P. Velumani officially reunited with the EPS camp.

(Edited by Gitanjali Das)