TIRUVANNAMALAI/MADURAI: AIADMK whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy on Friday said that the party will demand a CBI investigation if the alleged poaching of lawmakers via 'multi-crore cash' transfers by the ruling TVK continues.
Four AIADMK legislators -- K Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam Assembly constituency), S Jayakumar (Perundurai), P Sathyabama (Dharapuram) and Esakki Subaya (Ambasamudram) resigned as MLAs and joined the TVK, triggering an intense debate among political parties in the state. They were among the rebel AIADMK MLAs who voted in favour of the TVK government in the Assembly during the floor test on May 13.
Accusing that TVK had forced four AIADMK MLAs to resign through horse-trading involving "crores of rupees", Krishnamurthy said, "If they continue to commit such wrongdoings, I am duty-bound to firmly state at this moment that we will not hesitate to place a demand for a CBI enquiry into this, with the approval of the party's general secretary Edapaddi K Palaniswami."
Targeting TVK leader and Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Krishnamurthy claimed that he was focusing entirely on poaching AIADMK functionaries rather than serving the public.
He further alleged that Arjuna was utilising his ministerial chamber in the Secretariat to induct members from other political parties.
"Is that a government Secretariat or TVK office? The public and neutral observers are asking this question," Krishnamurthy said.
The AIADMK whip claimed that Arjuna had previously approached Palaniswami, seeking to join the party and secure a deputy general secretary post.
"Palaniswami flatly refused to admit him into the AIADMK, citing his track record of being expelled or suspended from previous parties, including the DMK and the VCK, for wrongdoings," Krishnamurthy said, adding that Arjuna joined TVK only after being rejected by the AIADMK.
Brushing aside the impact of recent defections, Krishnamurthy cited the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's 1996 remarks, characterising those who betray the party as "shed hair" that does not affect the core strength of the organisation.
He emphasised that while top-level leaders can be replaced by creating hundreds of new ones, the real strength lies in the party's 2.16 crore grassroots workers who remain fiercely loyal to Palaniswami's leadership.
He also categorically rejected rumours of a covert understanding or coalition talks between the AIADMK and the DMK, asserting that the AIADMK was founded by M G Ramachandran specifically to oppose the DMK.
"Oil and water can never mix. Our general secretary has never spoken to anyone about a coalition government with the DMK," he clarified.
Taking a swipe at Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's promise of providing a "clean administration", the AIADMK leader claimed that the state's law and order situation had completely collapsed.
He alleged that more than 20 murders, an equal number of sexual assaults, and rampant instances of robbery and ganja smuggling have gripped Tamil Nadu recently.
He further cited recent violent clashes between VCK and DMK workers in the Ponnam area as proof of public distress.
TVK creating a 'mirage of despair': AIADMK leader
Meanwhile, AIADMK leader RB Udhayakumar on Friday dismissed claims by TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna that 90 per cent of the Dravidian party cadres were ready to jump ship to the Vijay-led party and warned of severe “political consequences" if attempts to poach AIADMK workers continued.
“I give you (Arjuna) this final warning: if you continue this body-snatching work and this drama of claiming to offer power, you will have to face severe political consequences and a massive political backlash. You will be forced to face it," said Udhayakumar.
Calling Arjuna a “recent political entrant" with no stable ideological grounding, the former minister alleged that TVK is aggressively trying to buy out loyal opposition cadres using absolute money power and administrative lures.
“The collective heartbreak of millions of unyielding grassroots workers of the AIADMK remains an inexhaustible vessel. A power centre that has hopped across multiple political parties over the last 10 years just to invest and accumulate power is now making hollow remarks about our cadres," Udhayakumar told reporters while speaking in Madurai.
Highlighting the electoral math, Udhayakumar pointed out that 68.5 per cent of the total voting population in Tamil Nadu cast their ballots against the DMK.
He slammed TVK for creating a “mirage of despair" around the AIADMK when, in reality, TVK had only captured a 34.5 per cent slice of that anti-incumbency sentiment, which is nowhere near a mandate to claim absolute authority or state governance.
“A party that hasn't fully secured public confidence to assume state power is actively executing a horse-trading theatre on weekends and holidays, boasting that 'merger ceremonies' will continue on Saturdays and Sundays," he added.
Issuing an ultimatum, the former minister stated that the two-crore-strong cadre base of the AIADMK, down to the most ordinary grassroots worker, will retaliate legally and politically if this illicit poaching operation (“Aal Pidikira Velai") continues under the guise of providing political asylum.
He reiterated that victories and defeats have never deterred the AIADMK, and that their commitment to public service remains unshakeable under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami.
“If you persist in acting as an ideological enemy and tracking our loyalists, you will have to face severe and violent political backlash from millions of heartbroken yet resilient party workers," Udhayakumar said.