MDMK founder Vaiko, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and two candidates each from the AIADMK and the DMK were elected unopposed as Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
The new AIADMK Rajya Sabha members are A. Muhammathjohn and N. Chandrasekaran, and the DMK members are N. Shanmugam and P. Wilson.
While the term of five Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu — K.R. Arjunan, R. Lakshmanan, V. Maitreyan and T. Rathinavel (all from AIADMK) and CPI leader D. Raja — is expiring on July 24, DMK leader Kanimozhi, whose term would have also expired on the same day, quit her Rajya Sabha post following her election to the Lok Sabha from Thoothukudi in the recent election.
With the election of the six MPs, the AIADMK will have 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, while the DMK will have five and the CPI(M), the MDMK and the PMK will have one member each in the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK also has a member from Puducherry in the Upper House.
Speaking to reporters after receiving the certificate of election from Assembly Secretary K. Srinivasan, Mr. Vaiko said he will be a voice in the Rajya Sabha for protecting the livelihood of Tamils and the interests of Tamil Nadu, fighting against the Hindutva forces to protect secularism and federalism and for stopping projects that harm the environment.
When asked about AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa Ramaswamy’s letter to Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu against his swearing-in as Rajya Sabha MP, Mr. Vaiko said “Is it?” without commenting further. In her letter to the Vice President, Ms. Ramaswamy cited a recent court judgment convicting the MDMK leader in a sedition case and contended that Mr. Vaiko must not be allowed to take oath in Parliament on moral and ethical grounds. Mr. Vaiko would continue to make anti-national statements and portray the Prime Minister as anti-Tamil, she said.
After their election to the Rajya Sabha was declared, the newly-elected DMK members, accompanied by party president M.K. Stalin, visited the memorials of former Chief Ministers and DMK leaders C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi to pay floral tribute.
