AIADMK MLAs disqualification: Dhinakaran disappointment over verdict

Sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader TTV Dhinakaran on Thursday expressed his disappointment over the judgement of Madras High Court on 18 disqualified MLAs case.

Dhinakaran statement comes hours after Madras High Court passed a split verdict in the connecting case.

Speaking to ANI, Dhinakaran asserted that they will fight in court and claimed to win.

"It's a disappointment for the people of Tamil Nadu because they are un-happy with this government and they wanted us to form Amma Government (late Jayalalithaa). But because of this judgement...it is getting delayed," Dhinakaran said.

"They are all fighters ( MLAs in TTV faction) they want to their party back so they are fighting. If they want to get benefit they would have been with them (EPS faction)," he added.

Further voicing his confidence over the people of the state, the sidelined leader said that they are aware that the decision of speaker is illegal.

"People are aware of this judgement and they know decision of speaker is illegal. They know one judge is correct. We will wait and fight in court and we will win. No matter what the temptation, all my MLAs are with me and we will continue to fight," Dhinakaran noted.

Earlier in the day, the Madras High Court passed a split verdict in the case of disqualification of 18 MLAs of AIADMK.

The matter will now be heard by a third judge.

Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the disqualification of the 18 legislators ordered by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, while Justice M Sundar disagreed with her and struck it down.

The political crisis in Tamil Nadu began in September last year, when Dhanapal disqualified 18 AIADMK MLAs under the 1986 Tamil Nadu Assembly Members Party Defection Law.

The disqualified MLAs include: S Thangatamilselvan (Andipatti), R Murugan (Harur), S Mariappan Kennedy (Manamadurai), K Kadirkamu (Periyakulam), Jayanthi Padmanabhan (Gudiyattam), P Palaniappan (Pappireddypatti), V Senthil Balaji (Aravakurichi), S Muthiah (Paramakudi), P Vetrivel (Perambur), N G Pathiban (Sholingur), M Kodandapani (Tiruporur), T A Elumalai (Poonamallee), M Rengasamy (Thanjavur), R Thangadurai (Nilakottai), R Balasubramani (Ambur), S G Subramanian (Sattur), R Sundaraj (Ottapidaram) and Uma Maheswari (Vilathikulam).

Post disqualification, the MLAs asked State Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao to remove Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

Alleging mala fide intention by the Speaker, the rebel MLAs moved the Madras HC to reinstate them. Subsequently, the high court had then reserved its verdict.

If the disqualified MLAs are not allowed to sit in the House, the 234-seat Tamil Nadu state assembly's strength would come to 215.