AIADMK moves MLAs to Puducherry resort amid speculation over support to Vijay’s TVK

PUDUCHERRY: Following a dramatic shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has directed all its MLAs to report to a luxury resort in Puducherry.

The MLAs began arriving at the resort on Wednesday night. As of Thursday morning, 25 MLAs, including O S Manian, Thalavai Sundaram and Agri Krishnamurthy, had already arrived. They were later shifted to another resort on the outskirts of the town. The remaining MLAs are expected to arrive shortly.

The move comes as political parties scramble to form a government after a fractured mandate in the recent Assembly elections. The election results have significantly altered the state’s traditional political equations, with actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerging as the single largest party with 108 seats, pushing both the DMK and AIADMK to the sidelines. However, TVK fell short of the simple majority required to form the government.

Meanwhile, the Congress party exited its alliance with the DMK and offered the support of its five MLAs to TVK, taking the party’s strength to 113. However, the governor has reportedly maintained that a formal invitation to form the government would only be extended after proof of support from at least 118 MLAs.

The political crisis intensified during a recent meeting at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s residence in Chennai. Sources said a faction led by former minister C V Shanmugam urged the party to support TVK.

However, Palaniswami and other senior leaders rejected the proposal. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, deputy general secretary K P Munusamy clarified that AIADMK would not support TVK.

“With the approval of our general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, we clarify that the AIADMK will not provide support to the TVK under any circumstances,” he said.

To prevent possible poaching attempts and maintain party unity, 46 AIADMK MLAs were instructed to gather at a luxury resort in Puducherry. Shanmugam is overseeing the arrangements, and Puducherry Police personnel have been deployed to provide security at the resort.

Palaniswami is expected to arrive at the resort on Thursday or Friday for a key consultative meeting. Political observers have drawn comparisons with the 2017 “Koovathur” episode, when AIADMK MLAs were housed at a resort during the leadership battle involving former chief minister O Panneerselvam and V K Sasikala.

All eyes are now on Puducherry, as the decisions taken inside the resort could shape the future of the Tamil Nadu government.
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