Chennai: DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth on Tuesday called upon the Supreme Court to speed up its verdict on the petition seeking direction to the TN Assembly Speaker to disqualify the 11 AIADMK legislators who had voted against the government during the confidence vote sought by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in February last year.
Deputy CM O Panneerselvam is one among those 11 MLAs against whom the DMK's petition for disqualification is now pending before the Supreme Court after the opposition party appealed against the Madras high court rejecting its plea. The Apex Court on Tuesday posted the case to November 15.
Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting of DMDK farmers' wing at the party headquarters here, Premalatha said democratic justice would be seen to be delivered if the 11 MLAs, including OPS, are disqualified for openly voting against the CM's confidence vote.
“They have disqualified the 18 MLAs (of TTV camp) just because they went to the Governor and told him they had lost confidence in the Chief Minister and wanted him changed. But what about the 11 MLAs who voted against the confidence vote on the floor of the Assembly? They give the excuse that the Speaker did not recommend action against them; but then, how will he do that as he is the nominee of the ruling party?”Premalatha thunde-red.
She lashed out at the AIADMK government accusing it of high corruption and inefficiency in multiple areas, particularly public health and hygiene.
Referring to the high incidence of dengue and swine flu, which have claimed many lives in the state and forced several people to seek admission in hospitals, she said health minister C. Vijayabaskar was claiming that a 'mystery fever' (marma-kaichal) was responsible. “What is the marmam? People want to know”, Premalatha asked.
Flanked by her brother Sudheesh, who is the party youth wing leader and senior functionaries of the DMDK farmers' wing, she said while her party was “well prepared right down to the booth level” to face the elections anytime, the ruling party was scared of going to the people.
“I have been telling this for long, there will be no election of any kind, no by-elections, no local body polls. Even the Assembly elections will be held along with the Lok Sabha elections next year”, Premalatha said.
Her ease of handling reporters' questions and the detailed replies she gave, without any fumbling, demonstrated her political maturity; besides giving a clear indication that a Jaya-type oratory is to be expected during the next election campaign.
Premalatha who was recently crowned by her husband actor Vijayakanth as party treasurer has taken full command of the party, it appears. She is holding meetings with various wings of the party, besides addressing media to taunt the AIADMK saying the ruling party will not hold any by-election or local bodies polls out of fear of losing.
