In a politically controversial move the Chief Government Whip S. Rajendran on August 24, 2017 recommended to the Assembly Speaker the disqualification of 19 AIADMK MLAs, owing allegiance to sidelined leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran. The 19 had withdrawn their support to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Talking to reporters in Chennai, Mr. Rajendran referred to letters given by the MLAs to the Governor on August 22, 2017 withdrawing support to the Chief Minister and their comments to the media and contended that they had gone against the unanimous decision taken by the AIADMK legislators on February 14, 2017 to support Mr. Palaniswami.
He also claimed that the act of these MLAs amounted to defection as per the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
“In my petition to the Speaker, I have cited Section 6 of the Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1986 and urged him to disqualify the MLAs,” Mr. Rajendran said.
On August 22, 2017, the 19 MLAs called on Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao in the Raj Bhavan and handed over identically worded letters declaring withdrawal of support to the Chief Minister.
One of the MLAs had said that their motive was to bring about a no confidence motion against the government so that the Chief Minister could be changed.
