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Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar on Tuesday, June 9, said that no disqualification proceedings will be initiated against the 21 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs, who voted in favour of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) during the recent confidence motion, despite a party whip directing them to oppose it.
Addressing reporters in the secretariat, Prabhakar said the decision was taken after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) informed him that the party had accepted the legislators’ apologies and did not wish to pursue action under the anti-defection law.
“I had received a letter from EPS dated May 13 requesting that no proceedings be initiated against the MLAs. Since the party leadership has accepted their explanation and sought that no action be taken, I have decided not to proceed with disqualification proceedings,” he said.
A total of 25 AIADMK legislators had voted in support of Chief Minister Vijay's government during the trust vote, defying the party’s official stand.
Those MLAs, led by senior leaders C ve Shanmugam and SP Velumani, were engaged in a political standoff with their party’s general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who accused them of supporting the government in expectations of ministerial posts. On May 13, they were removed from their party posts.
With the induction of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) legislators, the Council of Ministers reached 35, which is the maximum permissible strength.
The cabinet included no AIADMK rebel MLAs, who had supported the TVK government in the Assembly floor test despite political speculation over possible inclusion.
Later several rebel MLAs returned to EPS leadership. Meanwhile, four MLAs among the rebel camp resigned from the Assembly and joined the TVK. They are Maragatham Kumaravel of Madurantakam, P Sathyabama of Dharapuram, S Jayakumar of Perundurai, and Esakki Subbaiah of Ambasamudram.
The remaining 21 continue to be AIADMK legislators.
By referring to the EPS letter seeking no disqualification proceedings, the Tamil Nadu speaker JCD Prabhakar has now assured no action against those 21 AIADMK legislators.
