Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran accused the ruling alliance led by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of engaging in horse-trading to secure a majority in the Assembly. He made the allegations following a district executive meeting of the BJP’s Dindigul unit on Saturday.
“It is true that horse-trading is going on in Tamil Nadu. The horse-trading people have taken the lead in talking to show their government a majority,” Nagendran told reporters.
The controversy escalated on June 1 after TVK MLA N Elaiyaraja claimed he was offered Rs 35 crore and threatened to influence his vote in a legislative resolution. Police subsequently registered a case and arrested three individuals.
Further turmoil followed the arrest of senior DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan, who alleged political coercion against members of the newly formed TVK. Radhakrishnan was taken into custody on Friday in connection with a case registered at Athoor Police Station. Upon arrest, he said the legal action was an attempt to force his resignation and induce him to defect to the TVK, describing the proposals as “not horse-trading, but camel-trading that was offered to me; it will never happen.”
Elaiyaraja’s complaint filed with the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner on June 29 stated that a person named Thirunavukkarasu, claiming to run an opinion polling organisation called Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS), contacted him on behalf of members of a major political party.
Nagendran also expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, citing an alleged rape case in Ranipet. “A 60-year-old woman was raped by a 23-year-old youth in Ranipet while under the influence of ganja. Law and order is in a state of disarray in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
However, he emphasised that the BJP’s intention was not to attack the government but to perform its democratic duty as the opposition. “We have no intention of criticising the government. The opposition party’s true democratic duty is to point out possible mistakes,” Nagendran added.
The remarks follow recent concerns raised by the state BJP over law and order under the TVK-led government in recent weeks.