Chennai, July 1 (IANS) The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Wednesday urged the Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar, seeking his intervention to order a Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) investigation into what it described as an “alleged attempt by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko to induce two sitting legislators elected on the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol to resign from the state Assembly.
In a detailed representation submitted to both the Governor and the DVAC, DMK Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi alleged that the Chief Minister and Vaiko had conspired to persuade Kadayanallur MLA T.M. Rajendran and Sirkazhi MLA S. Senthil Selvan to resign from their Assembly seats and subsequently contest the resulting by-elections.
Although the two legislators belong to the MDMK, they were elected on the DMK symbol under the seat-sharing arrangement that existed within the previous alliance.
The DMK contended that any attempt to secure the two legislators’ resignation amounted to political inducement aimed at altering the composition of the state Assembly through unconstitutional means.
The complaint is based on remarks allegedly made by Vaiko during the MDMK General Council meeting.
According to Bharathi, the MDMK Chief disclosed that Chief Minister Vijay had, during a meeting at his Pattinapakkam residence, requested him to convince the two MLAs to resign from their seats.
He alleged that Vaiko claimed the Chief Minister had assured him that, if the legislators resigned and contested the by-elections, he would personally campaign for their victory.
The DMK said that these statements, if true, disclosed a clear attempt to influence elected representatives through political inducement and constituted an instance of “horse-trading”.
The party also said that such actions amounted to interference with the constitutional mandate of legislators elected by the people.
In the representation, Bharathi alleged that Vaiko’s own public statements directly implicated Chief Minister Vijay in the alleged conspiracy, warranting a criminal investigation.
Appealing to the Governor to intervene, the DMK urged him not to “turn a blind eye” to what it described as corrupt practices that undermine constitutional morality and democratic values.
The party requested Governor Arlekar to direct the DVAC to immediately register a First Information Report (FIR) and conduct a comprehensive investigation in accordance with law.
Bharathi also contended that the vigilance agency was duty-bound to act on the complaint in line with the principles laid down by the Supreme Court regarding the registration and investigation of cognisable offences.
–IANS
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