COIMBATORE: CPI(M) state general secretary P Shanmugam on Thursday (July 2) accused the DMK of attempting to topple the TVK led government through horse-trading.
Addressing the media in Coimbatore, Shanmugam said the recent remarks by DMK president MK Stalin predicting an early change of government has now become clear.
“People had voted for an alternative to both the DMK and the AIADMK in the assembly elections. Instead of respecting the mandate, attempts are being made to engineer political defections through horse-trading," he said, while referring to a bid to poach a TVK legislator by offering crores of rupees.
Further Shanmugam said the DMK had found it difficult to reconcile with being out of power and was therefore attempting to bring down the government through unethical means. “While legislators voluntarily switching parties was not uncommon in Indian politics, offering money to secure defections was unacceptable. If an MLA voluntarily joins another party, that is a different matter. But attempting to purchase an elected representative with crores of rupees cannot be accepted under any circumstances,”he said.
Recalling the resignation of AIADMK MLAs, Shanmugam said the CPI(M) had described the development as unhealthy politics and also questioned TVK functionaries over accepting such leaders into the party.
On the appointment of the state government's Delhi representative, he said it was the Chief Minister's prerogative and noted that similar appointments had existed under previous governments.
On the Mekedatu dam issue, he opposed the proposal to constitute a new tribunal and said Tamil Nadu had traditionally evolved a consensus by convening all-party meetings and consulting farmers' organisations before adopting assembly resolutions on inter-state river disputes. He urged the government to build broader political consensus on the issue.
Shanmugam also criticised the state government's decision to extend permission for atomic mineral mining in Kanyakumari district, calling it contrary to its earlier commitment to prevent the exploitation of natural resources. He demanded that the permission be withdrawn immediately and announced that the CPI(M) would stage a protest in Kanyakumari.