The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Thursday pushed back against reports of an internal rift after party MLAs were moved to neighbouring Puducherry, amid intense political activity in Tamil Nadu following the fractured Assembly election results.
Reacting to a report that said the MLAs were moved to Puducherry without consent from general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, AIADMK said that all newly elected legislators had already met EPS for consultations.
Questioning the reports of discord, the AIADMK further said: “When this is the actual ground reality, why are sections of the media, particularly certain national media outlets, continuing to indulge in rumour mongering and publishing baseless reports?” Follow Tamil Nadu govt formation live updates.
The clarification came after reports claimed senior AIADMK leader CV Shanmugam had shifted pro-Vijay MLAs to a resort in Puducherry without Palaniswami’s approval.
AIADMK MLAs in Puducherry
Even as it denied rumours of infighting, the AIADMK confirmed that its MLAs had indeed been taken to Puducherry.
{{/usCountry}}Even as it denied rumours of infighting, the AIADMK confirmed that its MLAs had indeed been taken to Puducherry.
{{/usCountry}}Party spokesperson Kovai Sathyan told news agency PTI that the legislators were lodged in the Union Territory. However, he did not disclose how many MLAs had been moved or explain the reason behind the decision.
The development assumes significance as TVK continues its efforts to gather support and reach the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
AIADMK rules out support to TVK
Amid speculation over possible political alignments, AIADMK deputy general secretary KP Munusamy categorically ruled out supporting Vijay’s party.
“Under no circumstances the AIADMK will support the TVK. We are issuing this clarification as per the instruction of our party general secretary (Edappadi K Palaniswami),” PTI quoted Munusamy as saying.
The statement came after several AIADMK leaders and newly elected MLAs met Palaniswami at his Greenways Road residence following the May 4 election results.
Vijay meets Governor again
Meanwhile, TVK chief Vijay on Thursday arrived at Lok Bhavan to meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, a day after formally staking claim to form the government with Congress support.
This marks Vijay’s second visit to the Raj Bhavan within 24 hours after TVK’s surprise performance in the April 23 Assembly elections.
On Wednesday, Vijay submitted Congress’ letter of support to the Governor and sought an invitation to form the government. However, official sources said the Governor has not yet taken a decision on the matter.
Numbers game intensifies
The Tamil Nadu Assembly election threw up a hung mandate, with Vijay-led TVK emerging as the single largest party.
TVK secured 108 seats, while the DMK won 59 and the AIADMK finished with 47 seats. Congress bagged 5 seats, PMK 4, IUML 2, CPI 2, CPI(M) 2, and VCK 2. BJP, DMDK and AMMK won one seat each.
Congress has already extended support to TVK, boosting Vijay’s numbers. However, after Vijay vacates one of the two constituencies he won, TVK’s effective strength in the Assembly comes down to 107. With Congress’ 5 MLAs, the alliance reaches 112 – still short of the 118 needed for a majority.