TTV Dinakaran-loyalists move Madras HC against disqualification

The Chief Government Whip had sought dissident MLAs disqualification

After the disqualification, 18 lawmakers supporting TTV Dinakaran, moved Madras High Court on Monday challenging the Tamil Nadu Speaker P Dhanapal's order.

Sidelined AIADMK leader, TTV Dhinakaran, said "We have been saying they (EPS-OPS faction) don't have majority number of 117, now they are taking escape route by expelling the 18 MLAs."

Earlier, the lawmakers were disqualified with immediate effect from today, under 1986 Tamil Nadu Assembly Members party defection law.

The MLAs are S Thangatamilselvan (Andipatti), R Murugan (Harur), S Mariappan Kennedy (Manamadurai), K Kadirkamu (Periyakulam), Jayanthi Padmanabhan (Gudiyattam), P Palaniappan (Pappireddypatti), V Senthil Balaji (Aravakurichi), S Muthiah (Paramakudi), P Vetrivel (Perambur), N G Pathiban (Sholingur), M Kodandapani (Tiruporur), T A Elumalai (Poonamallee), M Rengasamy (Thanjavur), R Thangadurai (Nilakottai), R Balasubramani (Ambur), S G Subramanian (Sattur), R Sundaraj (Ottapidaram) and Uma Maheswari (Vilathikulam).The said MLAs, besides another, had on August 22 met the Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar and conveyed that they had lost confidence in Palaniswami, who is facing a challenge from Dhinakaran.

Speaking to the media this evening, Dinakarn said, "Governor knew EPS is nowhere close to number of 117 and he delayed floor test. That's why Tamil Nadu speaker disqualified MLAs...We have 10 Sleeper cells at EPS Camp. They conveyed they are alert for floor test."

These MLAs had since been demanding the removal of Chief Minister E Palaniswamy.

The said MLAs, besides another, had on August 22 met the Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar and conveyed that they had lost confidence in Palaniswami, who is facing a challenge from Dhinakaran.

Soon after the disqualification, Prassana Alagar Swamy, a leader of TTV Dinakaran faction told a private TV channel "We will approach the court. I am sure justice will be delivered to us: TTV faction on disqualification of 18 MLAs."

P Vetrivel, a senior MLA supporting Dinakaran, said the order was patently illegal and "we will challenge this in the court."

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has stayed any floor test till September 20, when it takes up a plea filed by the DMK and Dinakaran camp MLA P Vetrivel.

Last week, TTV Dinakaran-faction MLAs had moved Madras High Court with a plea seeking floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly.

The disqualification of MLAs comes a month after the Chief Government Whip had sought their disqualification for alleged anti-party activities, a move dubbed as 'intimidation' by the rebels.

OneIndia News