Trust vote fallout: MDMK expels rebel MPs

Chennai, Jul 24: The Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) today expelled rebel leaders and party MPs, L Ganesan and Gingee N Ramachandran, from the party for defying the party whip and voting in favour of the trust vote moved by the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre.

MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, in a statement here, said as the two MPs had defied the party whip while voting on the confidence motion on July 22, they were expelled from the primary membership of the party and relieved of all responsibilities.

Mr Ganesan, the party's Presidium Chairman, and Mr Ramachandran, the party Deputy General Secretary, had been divested of the party posts in January last year itself, when they raised a banner of revolt against the party's decision to renew alliance with the AIADMK prior to the 2006 State Assembly elections.

The two MPs were dissatisfied with the party leadership, after Mr Vaiko made it clear that the party would not take part in the Congress Government, thus spoiling their chances of becoming Union Ministers.

Claiming that they enjoyed the support of majority of the party workers, the two leaders ''expelled'' Mr Vaiko and other senior leaders from the party after a General Council meeting.

Aggrieved by their action, Mr Vaiko took up the issue with the Election Commission, which recently held that the party led by Mr Vaiko was the real MDMK.

After the Left parties withdrew support to the UPA Government over the Indo-US nuclear deal, Mr Ganesan and Mr Ramachandran called on DMK President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and pledged their support to the Congress.

Before the voting took place on July 22, the MDMK had petitioned the Lok Sabha Speaker, seeking disqualification of Mr Ganesan and Mr Ramachandran, if they voted in favour of the trust vote, defying the party whip.

UNI