Published Jul 01, 2026 | 1:25 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 01, 2026 | 1:25 PM
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Synopsis: The DMK submitted a formal complaint to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and the Tamil Nadu Governor, seeking registration of an FIR and a full-scale investigation against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over alleged attempts to engineer political defections.
The DMK on Wednesday, 1 July, submitted a formal complaint to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) and the Tamil Nadu Governor, seeking registration of an FIR and a full-scale investigation against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over alleged attempts to engineer political defections.
In a petition filed by DMK Organisation Secretary RS Bharathi, the party alleged that Chief Minister Vijay, along with Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko, attempted to induce two sitting DMK MLAs — TM Rajendran (Kadayanallur) and S Senthil Selvan (Sirkazhi) — to resign from their Assembly posts through “corrupt and illegal practices.”
According to the complaint, Bharathi cited a public speech delivered by Vaiko during an MDMK general body meeting held in Chennai on 27 June, where Vaiko allegedly admitted that Vijay, also the president of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had personally requested him to persuade the two MLAs to resign.
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The complaint alleges that during a meeting at Vijay’s Pattinapakkam residence, the chief minister discussed plans to convince the MLAs to step down and allegedly assured political support if they re-contested in future by-elections. DMK argued that such assurances amount to inducement, criminal conspiracy, abuse of public office, and an attempt to subvert the democratic mandate.
Bharathi further claimed that Vaiko later approached both legislators and conveyed the proposal, but the MLAs refused to resign.
The petition also pointed to recent resignations of six AIADMK MLAs who subsequently joined the ruling TVK, alleging a broader pattern of systematic efforts to alter the composition of the Assembly through negotiated resignations rather than constitutional processes.
Invoking the Supreme Court judgment in Lalita Kumari v. Government of Uttar Pradesh, DMK argued that the allegations disclose cognisable offences and therefore require mandatory FIR registration.
The party has requested the Governor to direct DVAC to register a case, conduct an impartial investigation, and examine possible offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, and other applicable laws.
DMK said the issue goes beyond partisan politics and concerns the integrity of democratic institutions, the sanctity of the electoral mandate, and the rule of law in Tamil Nadu.
(With inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
