AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday rejected allegations of a “secret alliance” with the DMK and launched a sharp attack on the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), accusing it of engineering “unnecessary” by-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram through defections. The former chief minister described the TVK as an inexperienced political outfit lacking political depth and alleged that it had disregarded the mandate delivered by voters in the Assembly elections by enticing sitting AIADMK legislators to resign and switch sides.
Targets ruling TVK
Palaniswami said there was no basis for suggestions of an understanding between the AIADMK and DMK, pointing to the presence of several parties in the October 6 by-elections. He argued that the political field remained open and competitive, with the AIADMK, DMK, TVK, Naam Tamilar Katchi and the Left parties now in the fray. His strongest attack, however, was directed at Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s TVK, which has fielded former AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama from Madurantakam and Dharapuram, respectively.
The two legislators had won the seats on AIADMK tickets in the Assembly elections before resigning and joining the TVK. Their resignations necessitated the by-elections. Palaniswami accused the ruling party of indulging in “horse-trading” to lure sitting MLAs and said voters had been forced into another election only months after delivering their verdict. He said the electorate would hold the TVK accountable for what he described as unnecessary and imposed contests. The AIADMK has fielded former MLA Kanitha Sampath from Madurantakam and K Bhanumathi from Dharapuram.
Five-way contests
Palaniswami also accused the state government of focusing on political controversies instead of public welfare and policy issues. His remarks came amid a fresh political row triggered by Vijay’s address in the Legislative Assembly, where the Chief Minister targeted the opposition DMK over alleged corruption during its previous terms in government. Vijay referred to controversies surrounding earlier DMK governments, including the Sarkaria Commission report, the Veeranam water project and alleged irregularities involving TASMAC and municipal tenders.
The October 6 by-elections have meanwhile developed into five-cornered contests following the decision of the CPI and CPI(M) to field candidates. The CPI(M) has named P Suganthi for Madurantakam, while the CPI has fielded Lakshmanan from Dharapuram. The Left parties continue to support the Vijay government from outside but have stayed out of the TVK-led electoral alliance.
The DMK has nominated I Paranthaman from Madurantakam and S Suganya from Dharapuram, while actor-politician Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi has fielded K Janaki Raman and M Karthika from the two constituencies, respectively. With the TVK fielding the very legislators whose defections triggered the vacancies, the contests have also become a test of whether voters will endorse their decision to switch parties so soon after the Assembly election.