The verdict in the 18 MLAs disqualification case has come as a huge relief for the Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led AIADMK government which has a wafer thin majority. Palaniswami, popularly known as EPS, has gained an upper hand while rebel leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran’s political journey has become a little more difficult.
“There is nothing called a setback in politics. I am yet to discuss with all the 18 MLAs. After the discussion, we will decide on the next course of action, if to go for an appeal or face the byelections,” says a visibly upset Dhinakaran. He, however, sought to put up a brave face and answered every question from the media on the case and the verdict. He has set out to Courtallam to meet all the 18 disqualified MLAs and decide on the next course of action.
On the other, a happy EPS was seen accepting wishes and sweets from his cabinet colleagues and cadres at the AIADMK party headquarters. “Justice has won. It is a lesson for the traitors,” says EPS. The ruling AIADMK, within minutes after the verdict, was in a jubilant mood, distributing sweets and bursting crackers.
Meanwhile, the opposition DMK threw a brave face saying it is ready for elections, be it to the Lok Sabha or to the assembly or the bypolls. “It is for the AIADMK to worry or rejoice over the verdict. DMK is strong and we are ready to face the elections,” says DMK president M.K. Stalin.
The verdict by Justice M. Sathyanarayana has come as a huge victory for EPS, who is fighting hard to retain his stronghold in the party and the government. However, in the long run, a victorious EPS will have to put out a hard fight against Dhinakaran and others within the party, as he is running the show with just the numbers in the assembly.
“The highway scam case transferred from the DVAC to the CBI is hanging like the sword of Damocles over EPS. And the petition I had filed in the Delhi High Court and with the Election Commission to hold general secretary elections in the AIADMK is still pending. With these issues, it is very difficult for him to lead the party if at all there is a byelection,” says former AIADMK MP K.C. Palanisamy.
Though the two factions led by EPS and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam seem to be united, the factional feud within the ruling AIADMK has reached a feverish pitch. In fact, when OPS and Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar were discredited by the Dhinakaran faction, EPS chose to stay away from all the controversies. And the ruling AIADMK under him, with the two-leaves symbol, lost in the bypolls at R.K. Nagar in December 2017.
For the Dhinakaran faction, though the verdict looks like a setback, in the long run, he is likely to get an upper hand. “It is a temporary victory for EPS and it is not a setback for Dhinakaran. It has made his political journey a little more difficult,” says senior journalist R.K. Radhakrishnan.
For the disqualified MLAs, going for an appeal in the Supreme Court, might not yield success. “We will face the bypolls if needed. We will decide soon,” says Senthil Balaji, one among the 18 legislators. And for Dhinakaran, who won the R.K. Nagar bypolls with a margin of over 40,000 votes, going for an election in the 18 constituencies and the two constituencies, which fell vacant due to the demise of former DMK leader M. Karunanidhi and AIADMK’s A.K. Bose, might not be a challenge. “It is a gamble worth taking for Dhinakaran,” observes Radhakrishnan.
While, Dhinakaran is said to be weighing all options, sources also say that the disqualified MLAs might go for an appeal, with specific prayers, asking the court to decide on the larger issues where assembly speaker infringe upon the rights of the legislators outside the house and asking about the discretionary powers of the speaker.
However, in this whole political game initiated and played by the AIADMK factions, the DMK ought to strengthen itself to face the bypolls as it cannot afford to lose like it did in the R.K. Nagar polls.
