Tamil Nadu's Opposition DMK approaches Governor alleging horse-trading by ruling TVK

Tamil Nadu's principal opposition party DMK has submitted yet another complaint to Governor RV Arlekar, alleging systematic practice of horse trading by the ruling TVK party and Chief Minister Joseph Vijay. In the latest complaint, the DMK cites media interaction featuring former AIADMK Minister and MLA MR Vijayabhaskar, who quit as an AIADMK MLA to join the ruling TVK. Citing the video, DMK mentioned that MR Vijayabhaskar has publicly admitted that the ruling TVK had approached him, and that he would join the TVK after resigning as an MLA. So far, six AIADMK MLAs have quit from their elected office to join the ruling TVK.

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Referring to the statement of MR Vijayabhaskar, DMK points out that his admission constitutes direct, first-hand evidence of the inducement practiced by the ruling party. The DMK also stated that the latest case supplements their earlier complaints of TVK Chief Vijay and MDMK Chief Vaiko allegedly conspiring to get DMK legislators to resign and join the TVK, and the allegation that Police officials allegedly compelled arrested DMK MLA Anitha Radhakrishnan to join the TVK.

The developments establish that the ruling TVK is pursuing a systematic, twin-pronged strategy to alter the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly otherwise than through the constitutional and electoral process: inducement, by promises of electoral support, monetary assistance and governmental favour to legislators who agree to resign; and coercion, by the registration of criminal cases and the effecting of arrests against legislators who refuse. Based on this, the DMK sought a probe by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption(DVAC).

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In recent weeks, Tamil Nadu's ruling TVK and Principal Opposition DMK have been hurling horse-trading allegations against each other. The TVK government said that a Police probe is underway into an alleged bribery attempt to offer Rs.35crore to a TVK MLA. The Police had made a few arrests in the case and Police said the accused had mentioned links to DMK leader Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok Kumar. Balaji and Kumar were granted anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court, on the condition that they would cooperate with the probe and appear before the investigating authorities.