Chennai: T.T.V Dhinakaran loyalist Thanga Tamilselvan, among the 18 disqualified legislators, crossed swords with State Revenue Minister R.B Udayakumar over a ‘scapegoat’ remark and dared the ruling AIADMK to conduct by-elections to 20 Assembly constituencies and prove their strength.
Recalling the series of incidents in the rival camp following the Madras high court upholding the Speaker’s disqualification of 18 rebel MLAs, Udayakumar pointed out that while Thanga Tamilselvan announced to approach the Supreme Court challenging high court order, Dhinakaran (AMMK leader) said the MLAs who supported him would contest the by-election and would not go on an appeal before the Supreme Court.
“What’s the mystery behind shifting the stand in just two days?” Mr. Udayakumar asked and added this only showed that “Dhinakaran who sacrificed the MLAs in the court case, is getting geared up to ‘sacrifice them in the by-election too.”
“Atleast TTV could have clearly spelt out what he desires,” the Minister said and condemned the incident of AMMK supporters allegedly tearing up the AIADMK posters in Pasumpon on Wednesday. He accused Mr. Dhinakaran of having no ideology or lofty goals in his political life but for entertaining the thought of usurping the AIADMK and capturing power.
Strongly reacting to his comments, Thanga Tamilselvan said Udayakumar should understand the extent of ire the people have against the State government when they openly expressed their displeasure (in Pasumpon). Denying that his party members had indulged in such an act, he said “we can’t become scapegoats if the banners were torn. As if we don’t have any other work why would we ask anyone to tear the banners? It was the public who tore up the banners to show their anger,” he said.
He dared the government to hold the by-election to all the 20 Assembly constituencies and said “it is your good fortune that we have decided not to challenge the high court order and instead decided to take the issue to the people’s court. It is for the people to decide who have become scapegoats or who will become scapegoats.”
