Chennai, July 2: A fresh political controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday after the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the opposition DMK accused each other of trying to poach MLAs.
The row began after TVK MLA N. Ilayaraja from Uthangarai filed a complaint, alleging that an individual identified as Thirunavukkarasu contacted him and offered ₹35 crore to vote against the Assembly Speaker in a proposed confidence motion.
Three Arrested in Alleged MLA Poaching Case
Based on the complaint, police arrested three people, including Thirunavukkarasu, on charges of attempting to influence TVK legislators.
According to the police, the accused allegedly promised ₹35 crore to the MLA in exchange for voting against the Speaker.
Police also said one of the arrested persons, Naresh from Tiruchirappalli, had reportedly met V. Ashok Kumar, the brother of former minister V. Senthil Balaji, in Chennai.
Police Probe Possible Links
In a statement, police said preliminary investigations suggest that Thirunavukkarasu allegedly contacted the TVK MLA on behalf of Senthil Balaji and Ashok Kumar.
The investigation is continuing, and officials said further action will depend on the evidence collected during the probe.
TVK Targets DMK Leadership
Following the arrests, TVK leaders alleged that there was an attempt to destabilise the government by luring its MLAs.
The party also questioned the role of the DMK leadership and demanded a detailed investigation into the alleged conspiracy.
DMK Rejects Allegations
The DMK strongly denied the allegations and hit back at the ruling party.
The opposition claimed that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and MDMK leader Vaiko were instead trying to poach two DMK MLAs.
The party rejected the accusations against its leaders and described them as politically motivated.
Political Tension Rises
The exchange of allegations has intensified political tensions in Tamil Nadu. Both parties have accused each other of attempting to influence elected representatives as the political battle between the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK continues.
Police are investigating the case, while both sides continue to trade allegations over the alleged MLA poaching attempts.