Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 1 (ANI): A fresh "horse-trading" row began in Tamil Nadu after TVK MLA N Elaiyaraja claimed that he was offered Rs 35 crore and threatened to influence his vote in a legislative resolution, following which police registered a case and arrested three persons, officials said on Wednesday.
According to the complaint filed on June 29 with the Police Commissioner, Greater Chennai, Elaiyaraja stated that a person named Thirunavukkarasu contacted him and claimed to be running an opinion polling organisation called Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS), saying he was reaching out at the request of members of a major political party.
Further investigation, as per the complaint, revealed that V Ashok Kumar, brother of former DMK minister and current MLA for Coimbatore South V Senthil Balaji, had met the accused Naresh in Chennai. It was also stated that Thirunavukkarasu acted on instructions allegedly linked to V Senthil Balaji and V Ashok Kumar.
The complainant alleged that Thirunavukkarasu asked the TVK MLA to vote in a particular manner during a proposed resolution against the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and offered him up to Rs 35 crore as inducement.
Elaiyaraja further alleged that he was threatened for refusing the offer and warned against disclosing the conversation.
Following the complaint, a case was registered at the D1 Triplicane Police Station. Police arrested Thirunavukkarasu of Arumbakkam, Chennai, along with Naresh of Tiruchirappalli and Thiyagarajan of Medavakkam, Chennai, who were allegedly involved in the conspiracy.
Tamil Nadu Minister P Nirmal Kumar slammed the DMK, saying that for the last 40 days, the opposition party has been trying to poach his party MLAs, adding that former Chief Minister MK Stalin is unable to digest the people's verdict in the recently concluded Assembly polls here.
Speaking to reporters, P Nirmal Kumar said, "We have been saying continuously for the last 40 days that the DMK, Stalin, and his team have been trying to poach our MLAs. A few days ago, one of our MLAs was threatened by DMK members. This was backed by Senthil Balaji and his brother, Ashok. With their support, they allegedly offered around Rs 35 crore to one of our MLAs and asked him to vote against TVK when a no-confidence motion against the Speaker is brought. That was their request. When he refused, he was allegedly threatened severely by DMK members. He has filed a complaint along with all the evidence. Based on this, the police have arrested three persons. All three are close aides of Senthil Balaji."
Condemning the alleged "horse-trading", Kumar said former CM MK Stalin was trying to "topple the government".
"We strongly condemn this act. Stalin has already lost his own constituency, and even in Kolathur, he suffered a major setback. The people of Tamil Nadu have clearly rejected him. Instead of accepting the people's verdict, he is trying to engage in horse-trading, join hands with the AIADMK, and topple the government," he said.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan denied the horse-trading allegations, saying that the party would not benefit from a single MLA. He called the allegations a "game" and a "lie."
"Why will he do that? Why will we purchase an MLA from TVK? If we wanted to purchase MLAs, with our numbers, we would need 70 MLAs, not one MLA. What is the purpose of it? Why should we indulge in horse trading when we cannot form the government? You require horse-trading as you formed the government with the support of rebel MLAs, and you need more MLAs. There is some game behind this action. DMK has never been involved in purchasing MLAs from TVK. Somebody is telling a lie," Elangovan said.
Amid TVK accusing the DMK of "horse-trading," problems increased for the AIADMK camp as senior party leaders and former Tamil Nadu Ministers C Vijayabaskar and MR Vijayabaskar announced that they will be joining the Vijay-led party on July 2.
C Vijayabaskar, who has previously served as Tamil Nadu's Health Minister, highlighted his long public career spanning over 35 years. He said his decision to join TVK comes after careful consideration of his future role in public life.
Similarly, former Transport Minister MR Vijayabaskar, who has been active in public life for over 43 years, also confirmed his induction into the party.
In another major development in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, TVK, Congress, VCK, IUML and MDMK held the alliance's first coordination meeting.
State Congress president Manickam Tagore said that the TVK-led alliance partners discussed the formation of a coordination committee and decided to have a common minimum agenda and a name for the coalition.
Addressing a joint press conference, Manickam Tagore said, "This is the first meeting, and it's a good start for our alliance. After 50 days of this TVK government, the first meeting went well today on a positive note. We have discussed three things today. We need a coordination committee. We need a common minimum agenda. To have a name for this alliance."
Tagore also hinted at inducting the TVK into the INDIA bloc in future.
"Whoever has MPs in our alliance, they will be inducted into the INDIA alliance. Soon, the next meeting will be held, and it will be announced to all of you," he said.
The Congress had exited the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu and joined hands with the TVK to form a government in the state. Thereafter, the DMK skipped the INDIA bloc meeting held on June 8, citing "betrayal" by the Congress.
The fallout had highlighted the cracks in the INDIA bloc. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is not part of the Opposition alliance, and the DMK signed the INDIA bloc's letter to the Chief Justice of India, expressing concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
Congress MP Praveen Chakravarty said, "The meeting was chaired by the Tamil Nadu CM. He shared his views, thanked the allies for their support, and it was agreed that we will form a coordination committee, we will give a name for the alliance, and draw up a common minimum program in the next meeting whenever the CM calls for it. This has nothing to do with the INDIA alliance. This is a coalition of the Tamil Nadu government and parties that support this government from the outside. It is about Tamil Nadu; it is not about INDIA Alliance."
Meanwhile, TVK, Congress, VCK, IUML and MDMK leaders displayed their strength at the joint press conference.
While Congress, VCK, IUML and the Left parties extended support to the TVK during the floor test, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) was the recent one to quit the DMK-led alliance. MDMK chief Vaiko on Saturday announced that his party has decided to extend support to the TVK in the upcoming by-elections and local body elections. (ANI)
