18 MLAS check into resort as court verdict awaited

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s 18 disqualified MLAS have checked into a resort in the tourist hub of Courtallam, as ordered by their leader TTV Dhinakaran MLA as a High Court verdict on the Speaker’s action against them is expected this week.

The MLAS were attending the Maha Pushkaram festival at Tirunelveli on Monday, sources close to Dhinakaran said. They have been asked to stay at the nearby resort for a while, the source said, admitting that the leader was anticipating the court verdict this week. The Esakki resort is owned by Dhinakaran loyalist Esakki Subbaiah.

The MLAS, who were with the ruling Anna DMK, were disqualiied for challenging the leadership of Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, who could have fallen in a loor test if they were allowed to vote. A two-member bench of the Madras High Court on June 14 gave a split decision on their pleas, and the Supreme Court appointed a single judge, P. Satyanarayana, to issue a inal verdict.

Trouble had started for Palaniswami after he sidelined a group led by Dhinakaran, nephew of late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s conidant VK Sasikala. She had handpicked Palaniswami as she entered a jail in Bengaluru to serve a four-year term ordered by the apex court in a huge corruption case in which her mentor was key accused.

As Palaniswami bowed to the wishes of the prime minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party to reunite with ex-chief minister O. Pannerselvam, he had to abandon Sasikala and her people. Dhinakaran then organised his loyalists. Palaniswami blocked his moves in the assembly by disqualifying the MLAS loyal to him.

Out of 19 MLAS disqualiied, P. Vetrivel is keeping off the resort. He is known to have some rift with Dhinakaran.

Dhinakaran, who won the RK Nagar seat in the city which fell vacant after Jayalalithaa’s death, had earlier booked an entire resort to keep his MLAS as he mounted a challenge against Palaniswami. Sources close to Dhinakaran said he had met Sasikala at the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru the other day and received orders to repeat the show.

Reports had emerged that the Palaniswami and Panneerselvam were trying to poach the MLAS loyal to Dhinakaran.