A major political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu as the TVK alleges the DMK attempted horse-trading to poach its MLAs, leading to arrests and an ongoing police investigation into the high-stakes political maneuvering.
Three All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam legislators who were part of the rebel group led by C Ve Shanmugam and SP Velumani, met Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker JC D Prabhakar on Monday and tendered their resignation.
A TVK MLA from Srivaikuntam, G Saravanan, has publicly alleged that he was offered up to Rs 100 crore to defect to the DMK and faced death threats when he refused. He claims to possess concrete evidence of these "horse-trading" attempts, including a specific Rs 30 crore bribe offer involving a Tirunelveli theatre owner and supporters of a former minister. Saravanan also recounted a deliberate attempt to crash a lorry into his vehicle.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea by senior advocate Kapil Sibal challenging the interpretation of the Tenth Schedule's 'deemed merger' provision, which allows MLAs and MPs to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law, citing its 'huge repercussions on our polity'.
A fourth AIADMK MLA, Esakki Subaya, has resigned from the Tamil Nadu Assembly and is seen with TVK leaders, following three other rebel MLAs who also quit and joined the ruling TVK. This move has sparked strong accusations of 'horse-trading' from the AIADMK and Congress, while the Speaker insists he is acting within legal frameworks.
Amid cross-voting, National Democratic Alliance-supported Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani on Thursday won one of the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand, defeating the Congress's Pranav Jha, an official said.
Former DMK Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested in Authoor after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea concerning defamatory remarks made against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The arrest has sparked strong condemnation from DMK leaders, including M K Stalin and Kanimozhi, who allege political vendetta and question the urgency of the action amidst other unresolved issues.
The Bombay High Court has quashed a year-long externment order against a political leader, ruling that involvement in agitations and protests against the government cannot be the sole basis for such orders. Justice Madhav Jamdar stated that externment for opposing government decisions affects fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and expression.
The MDMK general council, led by Vaiko, has announced its decision to withdraw from the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance. The party accused the DMK of attempting to prop up an AIADMK government, which they claim goes against the people's mandate and the alliance's secular ideology.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has criticised the DMK for allegedly trying to gain 'political mileage' from the 2025 Karur stampede that killed 41 people, and also faulted the police for failing to alert him about the swelling crowd or cancelling the event.
BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy alleges 'horse-trading' within the ruling Congress in Karnataka, claiming MLAs are being offered bribes. He also accuses AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala of demanding money from ministerial aspirants and plans to write to the Enforcement Directorate.
'The Dravidian parties wanted to prevent the TVK from forming a government.'
Three former AIADMK ministers, Dr C Vijayabaskar, M R Vijayabaskar, and M S M Anandan, along with their supporters, have joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), prompting the DMK to label the move as 'washing machine' politics, referencing allegations of corruption against the defectors.
The AMMK has filed a complaint against the TVK, alleging the use of a forged support letter to claim government formation. The Guindy police are conducting a preliminary inquiry into the matter.
Vijay was appointed CM after he presented letters of support from the VCK and the IUML who have two MLAs each.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government successfully won the trust vote in the Tamil Nadu assembly, securing 144 votes in favour, with support from the Congress, VCK, and an AIADMK rebel faction.
Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana were marred by allegations of cross-voting and 'horse trading', leading to suspensions and warnings from the Congress party.
Two individuals have been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly attempting to bribe Odisha Congress MLAs, who are staying at a resort, as part of what Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claims is the BJP's 'Operation Lotus'.
The Congress party in Odisha has moved its MLAs to Karnataka due to concerns about cross-voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the BJD has called for meetings of its legislators.
Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing the LPG crisis, lack of energy security, and concerns over the Economic Stabilisation Fund.
Gehlot said he has the proof that horse trading was being committed to topple his government.
Call it political opportunism or sagacity, his moves, in effect, have not allowed the Bharatiya Janata Party to appoint its own chief minister to date, despite enjoying a near hegemonic status nationally and the best performance in recently held assembly polls where the saffron party bagged 89 seats, followed by the Janata Dal-United with 85.
'This plan was never official. It was there secretly. It was by the high command.'
"The intention of horse-trading stand exposed now. The lies of those promising transparent governance are becoming evident now," it said, adding that "unethical" ways do not suit the tradition of the state.
The Supreme Court's opinion on the presidential reference can impact on any number of cases if and when governors, if not the President, take a literary view of the Supreme Court's 'ppinion' on their 'discretionary powers' without reference to the rider on 'reasonable time', points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The complaint mentions "Gajendra Singh" but does not say if it pertains to the Union minister.
There is apprehension of horse-trading and the government should seek vote of confidence at the earliest, said L K Advani, the Opposition leader, on Thursday.
Stating that the ruling coalition is ready to face any situation, Congress leader and minister Banna Gupta requested the governor to clear the confusion.
The COVID-19 case fatality rate has reduced from around 3.33 per cent in mid-June to 2.25 per cent today.
He accused the Apni Party, led by former People's Democratic Party leader Altaf Bukhari, and the union territory administration of using coercive tactics to buy loyalties of newly elected DDC members.
Several ministers, including Parsadi Lal Meena, B D Kalla, Mamta Bhupesh and some independents like Suresh Tak, are present at the hotel in the lake city.
Polling for 16 Rajya Sabha seats in four states will be held on Friday amid allegations of attempts at horse-trading by rival parties which have corralled their MLAs in hotels and scenic resorts, prompting the Election Commission to appoint special observers and order videography of the entire exercise.
To keep their MLAs together, political parties are organising dinner meetings and arranging hotel stays for them ahead of the council elections, which are taking place just three months ahead of the assembly polls in the state.
The Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that the Bharatiya Janata Party will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections.
'9 September saw Kathmandu and other key cities under the control of goons.' 'There was no authority, the police was nowhere.' 'The crowds torched all three centres of the state -- the supreme court, parliament and the Singha Durbar government headquarters.' 'The army stayed aloof from the complete destruction of these edifices, which is less than a kilometre from its headquarters.'
The Jharkhand assembly was on Saturday adjourned till 2 pm after the opposition created pandemonium demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged horse trading in the run up to the Rajya Sabha polls.
The prime minister further added: "That is how the governor made the recommendation that there is no alternative but to dissolve the assembly."
the May 21 letter, which sent alarm bells ringing in the Union Cabinet leading it to recommend dissolution of the assembly in an emergency meeting on May 22, did not mention the word horse-trading at all.
'The message they want to send to the country is that they can do anything by hook or crook'
Ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislator Sita Soren, the daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, on Tuesday surrendered to a court in Ranchi in a case of horse trading registered by CBI after the Election Commission rescinded the original notification for the 2012 Rajya Sabha polls for Jharkhand.
