Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Sunday wondered why the DMK has submitted a motion seeking removal of Speaker P Dhanapal if it was confident of emerging victorious in bypolls to 22 Assembly constituencies in the State.
Referring to DMK submitting a resolution seeking removal of Speaker P Dhanapal after he sent notices to three AIADMK MLAs seeking their explanation over “anti-party” activities, Palaniswami said it was due to fear of defeat at the hustings.
He was responding to queries by reporters here. Stalin has been claiming that his party would win in bypolls to all the 22 Assembly seats, he pointed out and questioned the rationale behind bringing a motion seeking Speaker’s removal if the DMK was to win all the seats.
If the DMK wins all the 22 seats, the main opposition party would automatically get majority in the House, he said adding, “they are gripped by fear of defeat at the hustings, and since they cannot win 22 Assembly seats, they have brought the no confidence motion against the Speaker.”
The AIADMK co-coordinator said, “You are not confident (of victory) and that is why you are bringing the no confidence motion (against the Speaker).”
He exuded confidence that the AIADMK candidates would bag victory in bypolls to all the 22 Assembly seats.
Of the 22 seats, bypolls were held to 18 of them on April18 and four more would witness by-elections on May 19 and counting of votes would be held on May 23.
Palaniswami sought to know why the DMK wanted Speaker’s removal immediately after Speaker sent notices to his party MLAs.
On April 30, Speaker P Dhanapal issued notices to A Prabhu (Kallakurichi), V T Kalaiselvan (Vriddhachalam) and E Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi) all belonging to the AIADMK for siding with Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam led by TTV Dhinakaran.
The notices were sent seeking their explanation based on a complaint by government whip S Rajendran seeking “due legal action” against the trio under the anti-defection law for alleged anti-party activities.
The Chief Minister recalled that since the three AIADMK MLAs acted against the party interests, the government whip submitted a complaint against them to Speaker P Dhanapal.
“As soon as the complaint was given, DMK moved a motion seeking removal of the Speaker,” he said adding this has exposed the links between these MLAs, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and the DMK.
He also wanted to know why the DMK should be provoked if explanation was sought from AIADMK MLAs for alleged anti-party activities.
“The conspiracy by the DMK chief to break up the AIADMK and dislodge our government has been exposed,” he said.
The AIADMK leader also took a jibe at Stalin for “adopting different strategies,” like walking up to the people in public places to seek votes “which was not done before,” due to fear of defeat in the elections.
Later, addressing a rally at Karur district, Palaniswami said Stalin was “daydreaming” of becoming the Chief Minister.
“Stalin is daydreaming of becoming the Chief Minister. It will never come true. It is the people who make a decision on who should come to power.
However, forgeting this, Stalin is talking as if he has already won,” he said.
V V Senthilnathan is AIADMK’s candidate in the bypolls to the Aravakkurichi Assembly constituency in Karur district.
The Chief Minister described DMK’s Aravakkurichi candidate V Senthil Balaji as a “political entrepreneur and not a politician.”
Senthil Balaji was a former AIADMK top functionary, and he sided with rival leader TTV Dhinakaran before joining the DMK in December 2018.
He was the Transport Minister between 2011-15 in late J Jayalalithaa’s cabinet and wielded clout both in the government and in his native Karur district.
Palaniswami said Senthil Balaji, after being a Minister in the AIADMK government switched over to the rival Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam camp and ditched them too to join the DMK which was dubbed as an “evil force,” by party founder M G Ramachandran.
Alleging that Senthil Balaji was adept at deceiving people, the Chief Minister said the DMK candidate was reportedly telling the people that “3 cents of land,” will be
given to them.
“When Kalaignar Karunanidhi (late Chief Minister and DMK patriarch) who assured providing two acres of land could not do it, how come he (Senthil Balaji) can do it..?” he asked.
“He (Senthil Balaji) has been luring people by making such a claim to garner votes,” Palaniswami alleged.