We don't lure MLAs like Balaji, claims Nirmalkumar

CHENNAI: Law Minister and TVK joint general secretary R Nirmalkumar on Tuesday (July 14) dismissed allegations that TVK was engineering defections through horse-trading, asserting that leaders were quitting the DMK or the AIADMK out of political conviction.

Speaking to reporters here, the minister also took a jibe at the possibility of a DMK-AIADMK alliance, saying, "I think KT Rajenthra Bhalaji and Anitha R Radhakrishnan will end up serving as the coordinators of the DMK-AIADMK alliance."

Claiming that the AIADMK's organisational base had weakened considerably, Nirmalkumar said the party was now confined largely to a few southern districts. "Beyond the district level in the southern region, the AIADMK has virtually no organisational structure. Even its cadre hardly remember that the party has a general secretary," he remarked.

Refuting the Opposition's charge of poaching legislators, the minister said the controversy surrounding horse-trading had instead engulfed former minister V Senthilbalaji and his supporters. "Horse-trading is when MLAs are lured with money to defect. Leaders resigning because they no longer accept the leadership of MK Stalin or Edappadi K Palaniswami is a personal political decision. That cannot be called horse-trading," he said.

"We have not invited anyone to join the party. If leaders resign on their own and seek to join TVK, how can we refuse them?" he asked.

Targeting DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi over his complaint to the CBI on the alleged poaching of legislators, Nirmalkumar said the letter was written merely for timepass.

On administrative matters, the minister said those wishing to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay could obtain an appointment through the Chief Minister's Office. He also reiterated that there was no change to the State's two-language policy and said that complaints regarding party funds were being examined and that appropriate action was being taken.