Chennai: A former AIADMK MLA disqualified along with 17 others for rebelling against Chief Minister K Palaniswami last year, has decided to withdraw his plea from the high court against his disqualification.
Announcing his decision to withdraw the plea, Thanga Tamilselvan said he now prefers to face bypoll to his Andipatti constituency.
The VK Sasikala's loyalist announced his decision following a recent split verdict of the Madras High court on disqualifications, with the matter now being referred to a third judge.
"We (18 MLAs) lost our post for no mistake of ours... I am not able to go to the constituency. There are a lot of people's issues to be highlighted in the Assembly. I am ready to perform the democratic duties in the House. And I am ready to face bypoll," he said.
A day after the factions led by Mr Palaniswami and erstwhile rebel leader but now Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam merged on August 21, MLAs owing allegiance to Mr Dhinakaran met the then Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, seeking the chief minister's ouster.
Mr Dhanapal later disqualified them under anti-defection and disqualification rules of 1986 framed in accordance with the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
However, AMMK founder Mr Dhinakaran insisted all was well between him and his supporters.
"He is free to take a decision as they (all disqualified MLAs) became legislators because of Amma (the late J Jayalalithaa). The others want to fight the case legally. All of them are with us (in his camp) and even he never said he was walking away," Mr Dhinakaran said.
Hinting that Tamilselvan could be fielded as an AMMK candidate if at all there was a by-poll, Dhinakaran said, "We can once again fight those who betrayed us."
"We can prove we are Amma's true supporters and heirs for the party's Two-Leaves symbol," he said, apparently referring to his own thumping win in the RK Nagar bypoll here in December 2017 where he defeated the ruling party candidate.
"There is no need for reading in between the lines," he said on Tamilselvan's announcement which was widely being debated in political circles.
On June 14, the Madras High Court delivered a split verdict on the petitions challenging disqualification of 18 AIADMK legislators loyal to Dhinakaran.
In the keenly-awaited judgement, Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the September 18 order of Speaker Dhanapal disqualifying the MLAs, while Justice M Sundar disagreed with her and struck it down.
The senior-most judge after her will decide the third judge who would hear the matter afresh, Justice Banerjee had said.
Announcing his decision to withdraw the plea, Thanga Tamilselvan said he now prefers to face bypoll to his Andipatti constituency.
The VK Sasikala's loyalist announced his decision following a recent split verdict of the Madras High court on disqualifications, with the matter now being referred to a third judge.
"We (18 MLAs) lost our post for no mistake of ours... I am not able to go to the constituency. There are a lot of people's issues to be highlighted in the Assembly. I am ready to perform the democratic duties in the House. And I am ready to face bypoll," he said.
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A day after the factions led by Mr Palaniswami and erstwhile rebel leader but now Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam merged on August 21, MLAs owing allegiance to Mr Dhinakaran met the then Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, seeking the chief minister's ouster.
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Mr Dhanapal later disqualified them under anti-defection and disqualification rules of 1986 framed in accordance with the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
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However, AMMK founder Mr Dhinakaran insisted all was well between him and his supporters.
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"He is free to take a decision as they (all disqualified MLAs) became legislators because of Amma (the late J Jayalalithaa). The others want to fight the case legally. All of them are with us (in his camp) and even he never said he was walking away," Mr Dhinakaran said.
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Hinting that Tamilselvan could be fielded as an AMMK candidate if at all there was a by-poll, Dhinakaran said, "We can once again fight those who betrayed us."
"We can prove we are Amma's true supporters and heirs for the party's Two-Leaves symbol," he said, apparently referring to his own thumping win in the RK Nagar bypoll here in December 2017 where he defeated the ruling party candidate.
"There is no need for reading in between the lines," he said on Tamilselvan's announcement which was widely being debated in political circles.
On June 14, the Madras High Court delivered a split verdict on the petitions challenging disqualification of 18 AIADMK legislators loyal to Dhinakaran.
In the keenly-awaited judgement, Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the September 18 order of Speaker Dhanapal disqualifying the MLAs, while Justice M Sundar disagreed with her and struck it down.
The senior-most judge after her will decide the third judge who would hear the matter afresh, Justice Banerjee had said.
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