There was 'huge delay' in disqualifying of 18 AIADMK MLAs: Congress

Eighteen rebel AIADMK MLAs were disqualified today by Speaker Dhanapal amid the power tussle between Chief Minister K Palaniswami and sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran.

New Delhi, Sep 18: Questioning the delay by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker and the Governor in disqualifying 18 AIADMK lawmakers under the anti-defection law, the Congress on Monday said the decision is liable to be challenged in court.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said every political party was monitoring the decision, but he adopted a cautious approach by saying that his party was not obliged to comment on another party.

"We have no hesitation in saying that the huge delay in action by the speaker and by the governor is something which would be seriously liable to be questioned in court and I will not go beyond that," he told reporters.

Singhvi said Speaker P Dhanapal's decision is also "liable to be challenged fully as being actuated if the court so holds...by mala fide, by a motivated desire to achieve a pre-decided result, because you know that there is already a proceeding pending in the High Court".

Eighteen rebel AIADMK MLAs were disqualified today by Speaker Dhanapal amid the power tussle between Chief Minister K Palaniswami and sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran. Dhinakaran said his MLAs will approach the court against the disqualification, while the rebels dubbed the move as a "murder of democracy".

"Our MLAs will move the court and we will get justice," he told reporters at Kancheepuram district.

PTI