The political crisis within the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu deepened further on Tuesday as Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar accepted the resignation of Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya. This marks the fourth resignation from the opposition party in just two days, reducing its strength in the 234-member House to 43 MLAs.
Resignation Process and Immediate Aftermath
Initially, Speaker Prabhakar had rejected Subaya's typed resignation letter and instructed him to submit a handwritten copy. According to news agency PTI, Subaya promptly withdrew the typed version and presented a handwritten resignation, which was subsequently accepted by the speaker.
Subaya's exit follows the resignations of MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama, and S Jayakumar a day earlier. These three legislators later joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Internal Divisions Within AIADMK
The resignations highlight deep fissures within the AIADMK. As per news agency ANI, 27 MLAs currently back party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, while 16 legislators are aligned with senior leaders S P Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam. Subaya belonged to the rebel camp and had voted in favor of the TVK government during the May 13 confidence motion. He is expected to join the ruling party soon.
AIADMK's Legal and Political Response
Senior AIADMK leaders met Speaker Prabhakar and submitted a petition urging him not to accept the resignations, arguing that anti-defection proceedings against the rebel MLAs were already pending. AIADMK leader IS Inbadurai stated, "The speaker should not accept the resignation as it is against the anti-defection law." The party had earlier sought disqualification of 25 rebel MLAs for defying Palaniswami's directive and supporting the TVK government during the floor test.
AIADMK leader Thalavai N Sundaram warned of legal action, saying, "If there is no solution from the speaker, then we will go to the court." In response, Speaker Prabhakar maintained that he was acting strictly within the legal framework, stating, "My job is to see if the letters are appropriate and work within the legal framework to accept it."
Allegations of Horse-Trading
The resignations have sparked allegations of "horse-trading" from both the AIADMK and the DMK. On Monday, DMK chief M K Stalin accused the ruling TVK of orchestrating defections at "horse-speed," while Palaniswami termed the developments a "pre-planned conspiracy." Congress MP S Jothimani criticized the events, stating that the Congress cannot support "horse-trading" in Tamil Nadu while opposing it elsewhere.
Vacant Seats and Bypolls
The number of vacant Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu has now increased to five, including Tiruchirappalli East, which was vacated earlier by Vijay after winning from two seats. Bypolls are expected in all these constituencies in due course.
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