18 AIADMK MLAs disqualified under anti-defection law

Amid mounting pressure from the Opposition for a floor test, 18 AIADMK rebel MLAs, supporting ousted leader T T V Dhinakaran, were disqualified by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker on Monday under the anti-defection law.

The rebel MLAs had withdrawn support to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. Assembly secretary K Boopathy said the disqualified rebel legislators had lost their membership of the Assembly with immediate effect. The disqualification was under the 1986 law created under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

The disqualified legislators were also asked to vacate from the MLA hostel immediately. Though the MLAs were disqualified on the grounds of defection, all 18 rebels have neither officially resigned from the party nor joined any other political outfit.

Soon after the merger between the Palaniswami faction and the O Panneerselvam group, 19 dissident legislators submitted individual letters to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao withdrawing their support to the chief minister and demanded his resignation.

Even as the Speaker on September 8 issued show cause notices to the dissident members under the anti-defection law and asked them to appear before him, Cumbum legislator S T K Jakkaiyan shifted from the rebel camp to the Palaniswami group. Except Jakkaiyan, who appeared before the Speaker, the rest of the rebel MLAs sought more time.

The total strength of the Tamil Nadu Assembly is 234. However, the effective strength is 233 following the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The ruling AIADMK has 135 MLAs including Speaker. The DMK and its allies have 98 legislators. (DMK - 89, Congress - 8, IUML -1).

Following the disqualification of 18 AIADMK MLAs, the total strength of the assembly came down to 215. Similarly, the AIADMK’s strength also came down from 135 to 117. However, the stance of three MLAs, Thaniarasu, Thamim Ansari and Karunas, who won on AIADMK symbol, is still unknown - whether they would support Dhinakaran or Chief Minister Palaniswami.

If the floor test is held, Palaniswami’s government would need support of 108 MLAs out of the total 215 for a majority to retain power. Even if the undecided MLAs go ahead and support Dhinakaran, Palaniswami will still have the support of 113 MLAs (excluding speaker) to prove his majority.

Reacting to the disqualification of the MLAs supporting him, Dhinakaran said his faction will move the court against the Speaker’s action. Various leaders, including the Opposition DMK’s working president M K Stalin, condemned the Speaker’s action of disqualifying the rebel legislators.