Tamil Nadu Minister Denies Horse-Trading Allegations Amidst MLA Defections

Chennai, Tamil Nadu – State Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan has vehemently denied allegations of horse-trading leveled against the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party. The accusations surfaced following the recent defection of four All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislators who have since joined the TVK. Sengottaiyan, addressing reporters, stated that such claims were unfounded and asserted the integrity of the party’s actions.

Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that opposition parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the AIADMK, have accused the TVK of engaging in unethical political practices. These allegations suggest that financial inducements were involved in persuading the AIADMK MLAs to resign from their posts and join the ruling party. The AIADMK, in particular, has gone as far as to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter if such activities continue. The party’s whip, Agri S.S. Krishnamoorthy, stated that if these wrongdoings persist, the AIADMK will demand a CBI inquiry, with the approval of party general secretary Edapaddi K. Palaniswami. He further alleged that TVK had forced four AIADMK MLAs to resign through horse-trading involving “crores of rupees.”

Minister Sengottaiyan, who himself was a long-time member of the AIADMK before joining the TVK, directly addressed the accusations. He personally resigned as a Gobichettipalayam MLA in November 2025 and subsequently joined the TVK, eventually being appointed chief coordinator by TVK chief C. Joseph Vijay. Sengottaiyan emphasized that he had not played any role in the defections and that the newly inducted members were meeting him only now. He also deflected blame towards the AIADMK leadership, suggesting that internal issues within the AIADMK were the reason for MLAs leaving the party. He contrasted the current AIADMK leadership with that of former stalwarts M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, implying that Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s leadership was responsible for the exodus.

The defections have significantly impacted the AIADMK’s strength in the state assembly. With the resignation of Esakki Subaya, the total number of AIADMK MLAs in the assembly has been reduced to 43. The defecting MLAs include K. Maragatham Kumaravel, S. Jayakumar, P. Sathyabama, and Esakki Subaya. These legislators resigned their assembly seats before joining the TVK.

The political climate in Tamil Nadu has seen increased scrutiny following these developments. Senior DMK leader T.K.S. Elangovan accused the TVK of engaging in “horse-trading,” positing that the MLAs sought to protect their positions after disobeying the AIADMK’s whip. He suggested that by switching parties before any official action could be taken regarding their violation of the whip, the MLAs aimed to avoid disqualification and a potential five-year ban from contesting elections.

Adding another layer to the political drama, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a CBI investigation into alleged corruption and horse-trading during the trust vote of the TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay. The petition claims that large-scale financial transactions and horse-trading were involved in securing the support of MLAs. The petitioner alleges that the TVK government secured the support of 12 MLAs from other parties, including 24 MLAs from the AIADMK who allegedly violated their party leadership and whip. The petition further seeks the dissolution of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, a CBI probe, and the imposition of President’s Rule in the state until the investigation is completed.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK has continued its strong stance against the TVK, with party leader P. Dhanapal demanding an independent probe by central agencies into the sudden resignations. He expressed the party’s desire for the CBI and the Income Tax Department to conduct a detailed investigation into the sequence of political events leading to the MLAs’ resignations and their subsequent joining of the TVK. Dhanapal asserted that a central probe is imperative to uncover the financial undercurrents driving these defections. He also criticized Chief Minister Vijay’s administration, alleging that it is focused on destabilizing rival political camps rather than public service and questioned the functioning of the government Secretariat.

The controversy also extends to accusations that Minister for Public Works and Sports Development, Aadhav Arjuna, has abandoned public service to focus on weakening opposition parties. AIADMK sources claim that Arjuna had previously approached the AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami seeking a high-ranking post but was refused admission due to his past disciplinary issues with other parties.

The political landscape in Tamil Nadu is thus marked by significant accusations and counter-accusations, with the integrity of electoral processes and political defections under intense public and legal scrutiny. The coming days are expected to bring further developments as these allegations are investigated and debated within the political and judicial spheres of the state.

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