1 month ago
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The churning successful the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was connected Monday (May 11, 2026) evident successful the Assembly, going by the reception provided by the enactment legislators to the enactment wide caput Edappadi K. Palaniswami and the rebel person S.P. Velumani, successful the House.
Unlike connected erstwhile occasions successful the past 5 years when Mr. Palaniswami was accompanied by a ample contingent of his colleagues portion entering the Assembly premises, lone a fistful of MLAs had escorted him this time. Mr. Velumani, who served arsenic Local Administration Minister successful the Palaniswami Cabinet and seen invariably with the erstwhile successful the past, came aboriginal to the Assembly premises on with erstwhile Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, erstwhile Health Minister.
Likewise, erstwhile the crook came for the erstwhile Chief Minister and Mr. Velumani to beryllium sworn successful arsenic the MLAs, the reception fixed to them by their colleagues, successful the signifier of thumping of desks, was hardly antithetic from each other. The connection was clear: the situation to Mr. Palaniswami’s enactment was rather open.
In the past 4 days, the residence of erstwhile Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam connected Karpagam Avenue, adjacent Foreshore Estate, became the centre of enactment among dissidents successful the AIADMK wherein a ample fig of MLAs and different bureau bearers were progressive successful discussions connected chalking retired their aboriginal people of action. Mr Shanmugam, who did not be the oath taking lawsuit successful the morning, went to the Assembly astir 3.15 p.m. and was sworn successful arsenic an MLA.
After the swearing successful of each the legislators was over, a letter, purportedly signed by a radical of legislators of the AIADMK stating that Mr. Palaniswami had been elected person of the legislature party, was submitted to the Pro-tem Speaker M.V. Karuppaiah astatine his chamber. Of the full of 47 MLAs belonging to the AIADMK, the fig of legislators cited by definite sections of the media successful enactment of the wide caput was 17, but a subordinate of the Palaniswami campy claimed it was 24. Former Handlooms Minister, O.S. Manian, who handed implicit the missive to the Pro-tem Speaker, told The Hindu that helium was not alert of the contents of the letter. “I did what I was asked to do,” helium observed.
Around 6 p.m., Mr. Shanmugam, accompanied by Mr. Velumani and galore different erstwhile Ministers including Natham R. Viswanathan and R. Kamaraj, came to the bureau of the Pro-tem Speaker and presented a letter, claiming the enactment of 30 MLAs for the enactment of Mr Velumani. Earlier successful the day, Mr. Palaniswami refuted a proposition of journalists that the enactment was heading towards a split.
About 2 years ago, erstwhile the enactment had suffered a drubbing successful the Lok Sabha election, a delegation of six leaders including Mr. Shanmugam, Mr. Velumani and Mr. Viswanathan had sought to impressment upon Mr. Palaniswami that determination should beryllium reconciliation with erstwhile enactment leaders including V.K. Sasikala.
