Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday criticised Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal's decision to disqualify 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs as "blatantly partisan". He alleged that it was an effort to help the minority government and said the state has become a "theatre of the absurd".
On Monday, Speaker Dhanapal disqualified 18 MLAs owing allegiance to sidelined Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran. This was done on the ground that they had violated the provisions of the anti-defection law by voluntarily giving up membership of the party (AIADMK) when they gave a memorandum to Governor C.V. Rao against the continuance of Chief Minister K. Palaniswami.
Speaker's decision to disqualify MLAs blatantly partisan and to help minority TN Govt. Nothing can save sinking ship.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017
"If the Tamil Nadu Speaker is correct, no elected leader of a legislature party can be changed by dissenting MLAs? Once elected, Chief Minister for five years," said Chidambaram.
18 MLAs disqualified to
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017
manufacture a majority for paralysed TN Govt. TN is theatre of the absurd.
According to the Secretariat release, the MLAs were disqualified under Schedule 10 of the Constitution as of September 18.
Governor requested to act. He did not! Speaker requested to observe restraint. He acted! TN politics is tragi-comedy
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 19, 2017
Schedule 10 of the Indian Constitution, also known as the anti-defection law, comes into force if less than one third of the members of a party in an Assembly or House of Parliament vote against the party line.
(With inputs from IANS)