AIADMK Faces Fresh Blow As 4th MLA Resigns In 2 Days, Party Strength Falls To 43 In Tamil Nadu Assembly

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu assembly speaker JCD Prabhakar on Tuesday accepted Ambasamudram AIADMK MLA Esakki Subaya's resignation, further deepening the political crisis within the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, as per sources.

Earlier, Prabhakar had rejected Subaya's resignation and demanded a handwritten submission.

With Subaya's resignation, the total number of resignations from the AIADMK camp has risen to four, reducing the party's strength in the Tamil Nadu Assembly to 43 MLAs.

According to party sources, 27 MLAs are backing AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, while 16 legislators are said to be supporting senior leaders SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam.

The total number of vacant Assembly constituencies has now risen to five, including the Tiruchirappalli constituency where actor-turned-politician Vijay had contested.

Speaking to reporters on the issue, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar said he was examining Esakki Subaya's resignation letter in accordance with Assembly rules.

"I have taken AIADMK MLA Esakki Subaya's letter and I am going to go through it completely and announce whether I am accepting it or not... As a Speaker, I am discharging my duties according to the rules of the assembly. They have given the resignation letter. It is in accordance with the rules. I have accepted all the letters of three MLAs. One has given today, I will go through it and announce my decision," he told reporters.

Political crisis within the AIADMK began after the three-party legislators resigned as MLAs on Monday and switched sides to join Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

Several senior party leaders on Tuesday met Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar and urged him not to accept the resignations submitted by the three legislators. The three MLAs included Maragatham Kumaravel, Sathyabama, and Jayakumar.

Senior AIADMK leaders and MLAs, including Agri SS Krishnamoorthy, OS Manian, N Thalavai Sundaram, and IS Inbadurai, met the Speaker and submitted a petition seeking withdrawal of the resignations and demanding that proper legal procedures be followed before any decision is taken.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, AIADMK leader IS Inbadurai said the resignations should not be accepted as they violate the anti-defection law.

"Our demand is not to allow the resignation and revoke the order... this is the law... The Speaker should not accept the resignation as it is against the anti-defection law," said Inbadurai.

Another AIADMK MLA, Thalavai N. Sundaram, said the Speaker must scrutinise the resignations before taking any decision. He further said the party would approach the court if their concerns were not addressed.

"If the Speaker is going to accept the resignation then there should be a reason. That is why we are giving a petition that if anybody is giving the resignation then you should scrutinse resignation petition and then accept it... If there is any solution from the Speaker then there is no problem but if not then we will go to the court," he told reporters.

All three legislators met with Tamil Nadu Minister and TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna to join hands with the party.

The resignations were accepted by the Tamil Nadu speaker later on Monday.

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