10 MLAs resign in TN, Vijayakanth loses leader of opposition status

Chennai: Ten rebel MLAs, including eight from DMDK, on February 21 submitted their resignations to Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal. The MLAs are heading towards the ruling AIADMK. Meanwhile , the Speaker has announced that DMDK leader Vijayakanth has forfeited the status of Leader of the Opposition following the resignation of eight of his MLAs.

The resignation of eight MLAs has reduced DMDK's strength in the assembly to 20. "As per rule 2 (o) of Tamil Nadu Assembly Rules, Speaker P Dhanapal has declared that Vijayakanth has lost the status of leader of opposition, and other benefits," assembly secretary AMP Jamaludeen said in a statement.

It also quoted Dhanapal as saying that no leader would be recognised as leader of the opposition, as none of the legislature parties enjoyed a minimum requirement of 24 MLAs in the assembly.

The DMDK MLAs who put in their papers included M Arun Subramanian, (Tiruttani), C Arun Pandian (Peravurani), R Santhi (Senthamangalam), R Sundarajan (Madurai Central), T Sureshkumar (Chengam), K Tamil Azhagan (Tittakudi), K Pandiarajan (Virudhunagar), and C Michael Royappan (Radhapuram).

Puthiya Tamizhagam MLA A Ramasamy (Nilakkottai) and PMK MLA M Kalai Arasu (Anaicuttu) too submitted their resignations.

The MLAs resigned a day after the last session of the 14th Assembly ended.

DMDK and AIADMK had been allies. But ever since their relations soured in 2011, the rebel MLAs switched loyalty to AIADMK.

Beginning 2012, the MLAs called on chief minister J Jayalalithaa separately and together in the pretext of seeking help from her government to implement schemes.

The rebel MLAs remained seated in a separate row in the opposition benches, and invited the wrath of DMDK members periodically for hailing the ruling party and chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

After a prolonged delay, Vijayakanth suspended seven MLAs for violating the party principles and voting against party candidate A R Elangovan in Rajya Sabha election in June 2013.

Incidentally, DMDK leader Panruti K Ramachandran, who was also deputy leader of the party in the state assembly, resigned his post in December 2013, owing to differences with the party leadership. He joined AIADMK.

On one occasion, violence broke out between the DMDK MLAs and the rebels, when Tamil Azhagan said he wished his colleagues too joined him and support AIADMK.

PMK expelled Kalai Arasu, hours after he called on Jayalalithaa in February 2014.

These rebel MLAs have been virtually functioning as AIADMK MLAs though they continued to be assciated with their parent parties merely because they were elected under that party banner. In view of the anti-defection Act, they could not formally join the AIADMK as it would entail disqualification. Now, with elections only about two months back, they have publicly taken a stand against the parent body. With their resignation, they can now join the AIADMK. The ruling party would also like to make this as big event  since it would like to cause damage to the image of the DMDK in particular.