The Supreme Court’s ruling in the Shiv Sena case is being viewed as significant amid a split among AIADMK MLAs in Tamil Nadu.
According to the report, 47 AIADMK MLAs have divided into two groups: 22 aligned with EPS and 25 aligned with Velumani. During a vote linked to the ruling TVK government, the Velumani group voted in support while the EPS group voted against.
The EPS side argues that the Velumani camp violated the party whip. The Velumani camp, however, maintains that it holds the majority within the legislature party and that it has appointed the leader and the whip.
In the Maharashtra political crisis case involving the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray government and the rise of Eknath Shinde, the Supreme Court addressed a similar dispute. The court said the legislature party is a part of the political party, and that only the party leadership can appoint the whip guiding the legislature group.
The court did not accept the Shinde faction’s argument that a majority within the legislature group alone is decisive. In that context, legal experts cited in the report believe the Velumani-side MLAs could face a higher risk of disqualification. The EPS camp has filed a complaint before the Speaker under anti-defection provisions and is preparing further legal steps, including a proposed case alleging that Chief Minister Vijay’s visit to C.V. Shanmugam’s house a day before the confidence vote encouraged defection.
