Political turmoil in Tamil Nadu: Allegations of ₹70 crore offer to buy TVK MLAs

There is currently a massive upheaval in Tamil Nadu politics. State Law and Electricity Minister Nirmal Kumar has made a serious allegation, stating that Dravidian parties, particularly leaders of the DMK and AIADMK, are attempting to buy MLAs of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The minister claimed that individuals associated with these parties are contacting TVK MLAs and offering lucrative deals to lure them over. According to an NDTV report, the minister explicitly alleged that these offers range from ₹60 to ₹70 crore.

Minister Nirmal Kumar further alleged that DMK President M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin are involved in this entire conspiracy. He stated that these parties have been continuously trying to contact TVK MLAs ever since the elections concluded. According to the minister, some individuals have also been arrested by the police in this matter, including key figures from the Karur area. The minister expressed confidence that no matter how large the sum offered, no TVK MLA will defect or fall for the lure of money.

On the other hand, the DMK, AIADMK, and BJP have denied all these allegations, terming them baseless. DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan dismissed the minister's claims, stating that neither the DMK nor the AIADMK has any need to buy MLAs. Conversely, he accused the ruling party itself of engaging in horse-trading. Accusing the TVK of adopting a 'sofa model', the DMK said that after the assembly elections, 6 AIADMK MLAs resigned and joined the TVK, which shows that the ruling party itself is using such methods to retain power. The TVK has denied all these allegations.

Such incidents are not new in the state. Earlier in July, the Tamil Nadu police arrested 8 people, including a pollster. These individuals were accused of offering ₹35 crore to a TVK MLA to vote against the government in a no-confidence motion. In this case, the police also registered a case against the brother of former DMK minister V. Senthil Balaji. Currently, the TVK has 109 MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which is 9 short of the 118 required for a majority in the 234-member assembly. November 13 is considered a very important date, as it marks six months since the minority TVK government proved its majority, which could pave the way for a fresh no-confidence motion.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is a political party active in Tamil Nadu. This party has played an important role in the state's political equations in recent times. There have been constant discussions in the state's political circles regarding the party's leadership and its ideology. In the past as well, allegations of defection and horse-trading have been a part of Tamil Nadu politics, which has frequently led to situations of political instability in the state.