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5 TMC MLAs want to maintain their identity

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Aug. 9. With just five days left for the Tamil Maanila Congress' much-hyped merger with the Congress, five of the 23 party MLAs have petitioned the Assembly Speaker to let them continue as TMC legislators. In a dampener to the August 14 merger mela in Madurai, the rebel MLAs — D. Kumaradas, S.S. Mani Nadar, R. Easwaran, M.A. Hakeem and C.K. Tamizharasan, have informed the Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, that they do not wish to ``lose their identity'' by joining the Congress.

The five MLAs are known supporters of the ruling AIADMK and have been ``in touch'' with senior Ministers even after the TMC snapped ties with the AIADMK.

Disclosing to the media here the contents of the MLAs' August 7 letters to him, the Speaker said their plea was under his ``intense consideration.'' He said he would consult ``legal experts'' and decide ``very soon'' on the issue.

Nonetheless, the Speaker left none in doubt about the possible course of his action. For, he pointed out that there were precedents of MLAs, even after the merger of their party with another party, continuing to function as members of the same outfit.

In 1989, when the two factions of the AIADMK merged, one of the MLAs, P.H. Pandian continued to function as a member of the same faction. Asked why he had made their letters public even before taking a final decision on the issue, the Speaker said the MLAs had asked him to announce it. The Speaker said the TMC's resolution that no party MLA should function as TMC legislators would not have a bearing on the Legislature. ``It can only restrict them from using the name TMC outside of the Assembly, not inside the House.''

In their letters, the MLAs said the TMC general council, which met on July 8, adopted a resolution that it would merge with the Congress on August 14. In the event of the merger, they would wish to retain their original identity, as they did not want to cheat their voters. ``We want to function as TMC members in the Assembly.'' However, in case the merger failed to take place, no action need be taken on their letters, the MLAs said.

The rebel MLAs' decision comes as no surprise as the Killiyoor MLA, Dr. Kumaradas, had made it public that he and 11 other MLAs would not join the Congress. However, he has been able to rope in only five legislators so far. Barring the Republican Party leader, Tamizharasan, who won on the TMC symbol from the Nanillam constituency in the Thanjavur belt, thanks to late Moopanar's largesse, the other four MLAs hail from southern Tamil Nadu.

While Dr. Kumaradas, who leads the rebel pack, represents Killiyoor in Kanyakumari district, Mr. Mani Nadar was elected from Sattangulam, Mr. Hakeem from Madurai Central, and Mr. Easwaran from Vasudevanallur in Tirunelveli district.

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