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Palaniswami Slams TVK for Poaching AIADMK MLA, Calls it 'Disgraceful Conduct'
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News18•24-09-2026, 19:30
Palaniswami Slams TVK for Poaching AIADMK MLA, Calls it 'Disgraceful Conduct'
- •AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami accused TVK of "horse-trading" by poaching an AIADMK legislator, calling it "disgraceful conduct."
- •Palaniswami alleged TVK engineered the defection using "lures" to shore up its numbers and secure governance.
- •The bypoll in Maduranthakam on October 6 was forced by political opportunism, with TVK nominating Maragatham Kumaravel, who won the seat on an AIADMK ticket in 2026 before resigning and joining TVK.
- •Palaniswami criticized the turncoat MLA for abandoning the electorate and the AIADMK, despite winning on the party's 'Two Leaves' symbol.
- •He urged voters to teach the defector a lesson and ensure she loses her deposit, questioning if any elected MLA in Indian politics has ever switched parties within 12 days of an election.
Key Questions Answered
The by-election in Maduranthakam was necessitated after sitting AIADMK MLA Maragatham Kumaravel resigned from her post, joined the TVK, and chose to run as the TVK candidate. Polling for the seat is scheduled to take place on October 6.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami accused the TVK of engaging in horse-trading and poaching elected legislators to prop up its government. He criticized the move as disgraceful conduct and a shameful act of political opportunism.
The TVK has nominated Maragatham Kumaravel, who previously won the Maduranthakam seat on an AIADMK ticket during the 2026 Assembly elections before switching parties.
