One more AIADMK MLA quits, joins TVK

(PTI) CHENNAI, May 26: A fourth AIADMK MLA, again from the rebel camp led by C Ve Shanmugam-SP Velumani duo, on Tuesday resigned from the Tamil Nadu Assembly, bringing down the strength of the opposition party in the 234-member House to 43 from 47.In a significant development, some senior functionaries, including former ministers Viswanathan and Thangamani, from the rebel camp arrived at the residence of AIADMK chief Palaniswami here. It was immediately not known why they came to meet the party chief as speculations were abound about a possible rapprochement between the two groups. Another MLA from the rebel camp, Balakrishna Reddy, returned to the Palaniswami fold.

Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya met Speaker Prabhakar and submitted his resignation letter, shortly after the Palaniswami-led faction called on the latter with a plea to not to accept the resignation of three AIADMK legislators who had stepped down on May 25.Prabhakar later said the resignation of Subaya was accepted.

‘NOT HEALTHY’: TVK ALLIES

TVK’s allies, the CPI and VCK, on Tuesday criticised the AIADMK members for resigning as MLAs and joining the ruling party, saying this was “not healthy politics”.CPI state secretary Shanmugam said the AIADMK MLAs resigning and joining the TVK is not conducive to healthy politics.”Although the resigned MLAs say that they joined the TVK on their own volition, it cannot be considered a natural act without expecting any repercussions. We point out that such a trend is not conducive to healthy politics,” Shanmugam said in a statement here.