Dharapuram (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 2 (ANI): All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday stepped up his attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay over the defection of former AIADMK MLA V Sathyabama, accusing the actor-turned-politician of inducing an elected representative to quit the party and contest again on a TVK ticket.
Addressing a campaign rally in support of AIADMK candidate Bhanumathi in Dharapuram, Palaniswami questioned the circumstances surrounding Sathyabama's resignation from the AIADMK and her subsequent candidature after joining the TVK.
Referring to Vijay's recent visit to Dharapuram, Palaniswami said, "Two days ago, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay came here, introduced the candidate, and sought votes. If an elected candidate resigns midway, joins another party, and immediately after joining that party, an election is announced, and she is fielded as a candidate on behalf of that party, then something must have happened. What was the need for her (V Sathyabama) to resign? Who voted for her? It was the people who voted for her.”
Palaniswami argued that Sathyabama had secured the mandate of voters while contesting under the AIADMK's two-leaf symbol and questioned the political propriety of her switching parties before seeking a fresh mandate.
He further alleged that Vijay was attempting to strengthen the TVK by bringing elected representatives who had won on AIADMK tickets into his party.
Palaniswami said, “They voted for the AIADMK's two-leaf symbol and elected her. Vijay wants to protect the TVK government and ensure that it remains in power. For that purpose, Vijay made candidates who had contested and won on behalf of the AIADMK resign and join his party. Is this fair? Vijay has stolen our MLA. AIADMK will once again emerge victorious in the Dharapuram Assembly constituency. You must extend your support to ensure that victory."
Earlier in May, after an election loss, the AIADMK's three party MLAs, Maragatham Kumaravel, Sathyabama, and Jayakumar, tendered their resignation to Assembly Speaker JCD Prabakaran at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat.
The three MLAs then joined the ruling TVK.
Meanwhile, the bypolls in Dharapuram, along with Madurantakam in Tamil Nadu, and three other Assembly constituencies in West Bengal and Puducherry and one Parliamentary constituency in Assam will be held on October 6.
The counting of votes will take place on October 9. ADMK has fielded K Bhanumathi against Sathyabama, who is contesting on a TVK ticket. (ANI)
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