Political tensions have escalated in Tamil Nadu after the AIADMK sought the disqualification of 24 MLAs who voted in support of Chief Minister Vijay’s TVK government during the trust vote in the Assembly. The party alleged that the legislators violated the whip issued by AIADMK directing them to vote against the government and urged the Speaker to take action under the anti-defection law.
In the floor test, Vijay’s government secured the support of 144 MLAs, while 22 voted against it and five abstained. DMK legislators walked out of the Assembly during the proceedings. AIADMK leaders said the rebel MLAs could lose their Assembly membership for defying the party whip.
However, the rebel faction argued that the whip itself was not legally valid. They claimed that the newly elected MLAs were not consulted before appointing the whip and that the party general secretary could not directly appoint one without a formal legislature party meeting. The issue is now before the Speaker, and political observers expect the matter to eventually reach the courts.
