TVK Chief Vijay To Chair Crucial MLA Meeting Today Amid Controversies

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK president Joseph Vijay is expected to preside over a meeting of the party's MLAs at its headquarters in Panaiyur near Chennai at 11 am today, a day after the ruling party completed six months in office. 

The meeting is expected to focus on tightening discipline among legislators, addressing a series of controversies involving party leaders and keeping the ruling party's flock together amid allegations of attempts to poach its MLAs.

The meeting comes at a time when several TVK legislators and ministers have faced public criticism over their conduct and allegations against them.

The latest controversy centres on the Kallakurichi MLA Arul Vignesh, who has been at the centre of a social media buzz over alleged inappropriate messages sent to the district collector. There have also been allegations in the past that the legislator misbehaved while under the influence of alcohol. The MLA has denied the charges.

Another controversy involves Thuraiyur MLA and Deputy Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Ravi Shankar. An unverified video allegedly showing him assaulting an elderly man who had approached him with a complaint over drinking water has triggered criticism. In another video, the complainant is seen saying that no assault took place in the presence of the MLA. He later claimed that he was forced to make that statement.

Minister Sarath Kumar has also faced questions after an old, unverified video surfaced showing him crushing a substance while watching an IPL match. The opposition alleged that it was a drug, a charge the minister denied, saying it was a tablet meant for his child. The opposition has also raised corruption allegations against him in connection with a project in Tambaram Municipality. However, no case has been registered against the minister in this regard.

A TVK MLA from Thoothukudi has separately faced allegations of abetting a sexual assault. Two other ministers have also drawn criticism over their public remarks.

Against this backdrop, Vijay is expected to send out a strong message on conduct and accountability within the party.

The meeting also comes amid a buzz that Vijay may be considering changes in his cabinet, possibly based on the performance of ministers and the allegations and controversies surrounding some of them. Whether any such changes are imminent remains unclear.

Keeping The Government Together

The political challenge, however, goes beyond internal discipline. TVK has alleged that the DMK and AIADMK are attempting to poach or buy over its MLAs in an effort to destabilise the government. Both Dravidian parties have denied the allegations.

With 109 MLAs, TVK remains short of the 118 required for a simple majority in the 234-member Assembly. The government currently depends on the support of allies, including the Congress, VCK and IUML, besides the outside support of the Left parties.

The opposition could also technically seek a fresh trust vote, with six months having passed since the previous confidence vote. Vijay is therefore expected to use the meeting to reinforce party unity and ensure that his legislators remain firmly behind the government.

The meeting is also likely to focus on the five Assembly constituencies expected to go for bypolls. A victory in all five would take TVK's tally from 109 to 114, bringing it closer to the majority mark, though still four short of an independent majority.

Interestingly, while previous meetings of TVK legislators have been held at the party headquarters, sources indicate that this meeting could take place at a resort. The change of venue has triggered questions about the nature of the deliberations, coming at a politically sensitive juncture for the six-month-old government. However, a few MLAs NDTV spoke to have said they've not been told yet of the location and time of the meeting.