HC upholds 18 AIADMK MLAS’ disqualification

CHENNAI: In a shot in the arm for the Edappadi Palaniswami-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government, the Madras high court on Thursday upheld the disqualification of 18 rebel MLAS owing allegiance to Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran, the leader of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), which he founded after former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death.

Sasikala was a long-time companion of Jayalalithaa.

Bringing the curtains down on the more than a yearlong legal battle, which also saw a split verdict, justice M Sathyanarayanan, the third judge appointed by the Supreme Court to hear the matter, pronounced the judgment.

In his ruling, the judge concurred with the then high court chief justice Indira Banerjee. Justice M Sundar, who was on the bench with justice Banerjee, had set aside the disqualification on the grounds that it was against the principles of natural justice.

The EPS government has got a new lease of life as an adverse verdict would have emboldened the Dhinakaran camp and possibly sealed the government’s fate.

However, the bypolls for the 18 seats and the two vacant seats, including Tiruvarur, represented by late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi will be a test for the EPS-OPS combine.

The power tussle within the ruling AIADMK reached the doors of the high court when Speaker P Dhanapal disqualified the 18 MLAS last year, invoking the provisions of the anti-defection law. This was after the reunion of the EPS and O Panneerselvam factions in August last year. While Sasikala, who is in a Bengaluru prison, was removed as general secretary of the party, Dhinakaran was sidelined.

Rattled at this, he started flexing his muscles and, along with 19 MLAS, approached the then governor-in-charge, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, expressing lack of confidence in the chief minister. On September 7, Dhinakaran called on the governor and sought a direction for a floor test. Stung by this development, the EPS-OPS faction swung into action and Speaker P Dhanapal disqualified the 18 rebel legislators. One MLA, STK Jakkaiyan was spared because he returned to the fold.

Reacting to the verdict, Dhinakaran said, “We didn’t expect such a judgment. But, there is nothing as a setback in politics.”

Late on Thursday, Dhinakaran said he, along with the disqualified MLAS, was planning to challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court.

Chief minister EPS hailed the verdict and said the AIADMK is ready to face the bypoll.