Tamil Nadu’s ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would not actively seek defections from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), but would consider the matter if legislators chose to leave their party over differences with its leadership, state health minister K G Arunraj said on Wednesday.
His remarks come amid an ongoing legal dispute over AIADMK legislators who resigned from the Assembly and joined the TVK led by chief minister C Joseph Vijay earlier this year.
Vijay described the results as a victory for democratic values and said his party had won without paying voters. “See, we don’t have any targets… We don’t have any mission in this. The party later secured support from other legislators and formed the government under CM Vijay. AIADMK defectors Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabhama contested by-elections under the TVK flag in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram and retained their seats.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly election results were declared on May 4. The TVK won 108 seats, short of the 118 needed for a majority. During the May 13 confidence vote, the government secured 144 votes. Despite an AIADMK whip directing its legislators to oppose the motion, 25 MLAs voted in favour of the government. Disqualification proceedings were initiated on May 14.
Because of the factors within their own party, reject their leadership and come to us, let’s see, when those MLAs,.
Speaking to reporters at Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai, Arunraj said the TVK had no targets for attracting opposition legislators. In due course, we will see,” Arunraj told PTI.
