Chennai: Former chief ministers M K Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday launched sharp attacks on the TVK party, accusing it of horse-trading after three AIADMK MLAs from the rebel camp resigned from the assembly and joined the party.
Stalin said TVK had abandoned its promise of clean politics and was desperately trying to hold on to power amid continuing political uncertainty. In a post on X, he said, “Horse-trading at horse speed. Did people vote for you to witness such disturbing scenes?”
Listing out a chain of political developments, from TVK seeking support from DMK allies to form government, relying on AIADMK rebels and an AMMK MLA, and now allegedly persuading AIADMK legislators to resign and join TVK, Stalin said the ruling party had exposed its “real political character”. He targeted Congress for maintaining silence after securing cabinet berths. “Congress earlier claimed it would oppose BJP-backed forces. Its silence now exposes its fake opposition (to BJP) politics,” he said.
Palaniswami termed the developments “a new low” in Tamil Nadu politics and accused TVK of engineering defections to protect its minority government. “Never in Tamil Nadu’s political history has such open horse-trading taken place. People are laughing at a government trying to save itself through defections,” he said.
Palaniswami pointed to the sequence of events at the state secretariat, where the MLAs submitted resignation letters before meeting a minister and immediately receiving TVK membership cards, calling it “clear proof of a well-orchestrated political operation”.
The resignations have sparked a political firestorm in Tamil Nadu, with both leaders demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged defections. The AIADMK has also announced plans to approach the Election Commission and the Governor, seeking action against TVK for what they describe as unconstitutional horse-trading. Political analysts suggest that these developments could further destabilize the ruling coalition, which already relies on a narrow majority in the assembly.
