Chennai: Just days before the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) council meeting, four city councillors have crossed over to Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), bolstering the party's presence in the 200-member civic body.
The defectors include AIADMK councillors R G Rajesh Sekar (Ward 21, Manali) and E Settu (Ward 24, Madhavaram), AMMK councillor V V Giridharan (Ward 148, Valasaravakkam), and independent councillor Leo N Sundaram (Ward 198). Sundaram originally won as an AIADMK councillor, later joined BJP, and has now switched to TVK. They joined TVK earlier this week in the presence of party general secretary N Anand.
This follows independent councillor Rajan Barnabas joining TVK in February, bringing the total number of TVK-supporting councillors in the council to five.
Speaking to TOI, Rajesh Sekar said he quit AIADMK after being disappointed over party leader Edappadi K Palaniswamy allegedly holding talks with DMK to form a government. “We can never ally with DMK,” he said.
Settu said AIADMK had failed to fill organisational posts in recent years and had weakened in Chennai. “We do not see a future in the party to continue public service. That is why we joined TVK,” he said.
Giridharan, AMMK’s lone councillor, said he was unhappy with the party contesting elections with BJP and pointed to its poor performance. He said AMMK lacked organisational structure in Chennai and claimed nearly 3,000 local-level AIADMK and AMMK functionaries from Maduravoyal, Valasaravakkam and Porur had shifted to TVK.
“People are joining because they see political opportunity. TVK has not offered us any posts. We have only received membership cards,” he said.
The DMK currently holds 153 seats in the GCC council, while AIADMK has 13. With support from defectors and allies, TVK’s strength has now risen to around 20 councillors. Four seats remain vacant following the deaths of councillors over the past four years.
Deputy mayor Mahesh Kumar said the corporation would consult the council secretary on initiating defection proceedings against the AIADMK councillors.
