Published May 30, 2026 | 6:33 PM ⚊ Updated May 30, 2026 | 6:33 PM
Agri SS. Krishnamurthy (Left) with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and M. Dhanapal (Right).
Synopsis: Senior AIADMK leaders met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and urged him to order a CBI probe into the defection of four of its MLAs to TVK, alleging political horse-trading. The party claimed the quick processing of the resignations, and the legislators’ immediate induction into TVK raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the switch.
The AIADMK has demanded a CBI probe into what it termed as horse-trading by the ruling TVK that led to the resignation and defection of four of its MLAs.
Senior AIADMK leaders Agri SS Krishnamurthy, MLA, and M Dhanapal, MP, visited the Lok Bhavan on Saturday, 30 May, and petitioned the Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to order a CBI probe.
In the petition, the AIADMK questioned how the Speaker had accepted the resignations of the four legislators within minutes.
The party also raised doubts over how the MLAs were immediately issued TVK membership cards soon after they had quit the Assembly.
The AIADMK said the sequence of events created suspicion over whether monetary transactions were involved in the defections.
“The developments raise serious doubts about possible horse-trading,” the AIADMK alleged in its representation to the Governor.
Also Read: Three AIADMK MLAs resign and cross over to TVK
The AIADMK further alleged that, in an unprecedented development in Tamil Nadu politics, the State Secretariat had been turned into a “party office”.
The petition accused the ruling dispensation of targeting Opposition MLAs and engaging in “horse-trading” to weaken rival parties.
The controversy erupted after four AIADMK MLAs — Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam), P Sathyabama (Dharapuram), S Jayakumar (Perundurai) and Esakki Subaya (Ambasamudram) — resigned from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and joined Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK.
Maragatham Kumaravel, S Jayakumar, and V Sathyabama.
While Kumaravel, Sathyabama and Jayakumar resigned on 25 May and joined TVK the same day, Esakki Subaya submitted his resignation and joined the ruling party the next day.
The defections reduced the AIADMK’s strength in the Assembly and triggered allegations of “horse-trading” from both the AIADMK and several Opposition parties.
Earlier, the Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led AIADMK had lodged complaints against 25 MLAs who voted against the party whip in favour of the TVK government during the floor test on 13 May.
However, following internal discussions and negotiations led by senior leaders SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam, the differences within the party were resolved.
Subsequently, the AIADMK decided to withdraw its complaint against 21 of the rebel MLAs.
Amid these developments, the four MLAs resigned from the Assembly and formally joined TVK, intensifying the political crisis within the AIADMK.
The resignations have also led to speculation that the four former MLAs may contest the by-elections under the TVK banner.
The AIADMK has maintained that the resignations were suspicious and has demanded a detailed investigation into the sequence of events leading to the defections.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
