Less than two months after Joseph C. Vijay assumed office as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, the state's political landscape has been shaken by allegations of an attempt to destabilise his government through horse-trading. On Wednesday, three individuals were arrested, while a TVK minister alleged that people linked to senior DMK leaders had offered TVK legislators sums of up to Rs 50 crore to switch allegiance.
As the controversy intensified, Chief Minister Vijay convened a meeting of alliance partners in Chennai on Wednesday. At the same time, the DMK called for an investigation into the horse-trading allegations.
The issue came to light after TVK MLA N. Ilayaraja claimed he had been offered Rs 35 crore to influence his position during a proposed resolution vote in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
According to the MLA, a man identified as Thirunavukkarasu approached him, claiming to represent a political consultancy named Indian Political Democratic Strategies, and later offered money in return for support during the voting process.
Ilayaraja said he rejected the proposal and later filed a police complaint, alleging that threats were also made against him and his family.
Acting on the complaint, Tamil Nadu Police registered a case and arrested Thirunavukkarasu along with two associates, Naresh and Thiyagarajan.
TVK Minister Targets DMK Leadership
The dispute escalated when TVK minister Nirmal Kumar accused the opposition DMK of being behind the alleged poaching attempt.
He alleged that senior DMK leader Senthil Balaji had reached out to multiple TVK MLAs with offers ranging from Rs 10 crore to Rs 50 crore. Kumar further claimed these actions were carried out with the awareness and approval of DMK president MK Stalin and deputy leader Udhayanidhi Stalin.
"With the consent of Stalin and Udhayanidhi, Senthil Balaji has been contacting several of our MLAs over the past 40 days, offering between Rs 10 crore and Rs 50 crore. There is hardly any MLA they have not approached," Kumar said.
He also alleged that one MLA was threatened by DMK leaders and had subsequently filed a police complaint.
"Stalin, Udhayanidhi and Senthil Balaji must put an end to these disgraceful activities," he added.
Alleged Connection to Senthil Balaji’s Brother
Police officials said one of the arrested individuals, Naresh, was allegedly in regular contact with Ashok Kumar, the brother of Senthil Balaji. According to police sources, Naresh frequently discussed the amounts to be offered and the MLAs to be targeted.
Sources further alleged that the accused informed MLA Ilayaraja about a planned no-confidence motion in the Assembly and offered him Rs 35 crore in exchange for voting in a specified manner.
When Ilayaraja declined, Thirunavukkarasu allegedly threatened him and his family and warned him not to disclose the matter publicly.
Police stated that they are investigating these alleged connections and examining the role of all individuals linked to the case.
DMK Responds with Counter-Allegations
The DMK rejected the accusations and instead alleged that Vijay’s party had been making organised attempts to overturn the people’s mandate through inducements.
The party submitted complaints to the Tamil Nadu Governor and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), seeking the registration of an FIR and a detailed investigation into claims that Vijay had tried to persuade two DMK MLAs to resign.
The DMK also referred to remarks made by MDMK leader Vaiko, who recently ended ties with the DMK and extended support to TVK, alleging that Vijay had promised financial assistance for by-election campaigns if MLAs stepped down.
The opposition party accused TVK of criminal conspiracy, misuse of office and corrupt practices, and demanded an impartial probe into the alleged horse-trading activities.
TVK Holds First Alliance Meeting
On Wednesday, TVK held a meeting with alliance partners including Congress, VCK, IUML and MDMK, along with CPI and CPI(M), which are providing outside support to the Vijay-led government.
The gathering marked the first alliance meeting since TVK came to power with support from parties that had earlier won seats as part of the DMK-led alliance.
Sources indicated that discussions centred on maintaining government stability and ensuring the administration completes its full five-year term. Chief Minister Vijay was expected to address these concerns with alliance leaders.
TVK became the largest party in the April 23 Assembly elections by securing 108 seats, though it fell short of the 118-seat majority requirement. Congress, with five MLAs, and VCK and IUML, with two MLAs each, joined the government. CPI and CPI(M), each holding two seats, extended unconditional support, while MDMK, which now backs TVK, also has two MLAs.
