Senior leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Saturday met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar and sought action against the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam over allegations of political “horse-trading.” The delegation submitted a memorandum claiming that the ruling party had induced opposition legislators to switch allegiance.

AIADMK Assembly Whip Agri SS Krishnamoorthy, accompanied by party MP Dhanapal, met the governor at Lok Bhavan and handed over the petition. The memorandum alleged that four legislators elected on AIADMK tickets had resigned and joined the ruling TVK, raising concerns about the stability of the opposition ranks.

Speaking after the meeting, Krishnamoorthy said AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami had urged the governor to intervene and prevent further defections. He also alleged that the state secretariat was being used for partisan political activities and called for immediate action by constitutional authorities.

Also Read: TVK Minister Says Majority Of AIADMK Cadres Prepared To Join Party

The controversy follows the resignation of four AIADMK MLAs—Esakki Subaya, Maragatham Kumaravel, S Jayakumar and P Sathyabama—who subsequently joined the ruling TVK. Following their resignations, the seats were declared vacant, paving the way for future by-elections.

The political tensions emerged after a split within the AIADMK legislative party during a floor test held on May 13. A group of 25 legislators led by C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani supported the TVK government, while 22 MLAs aligned with Palaniswami voted against it. The resignations of four legislators from the pro-government camp further intensified the internal dispute.

However, the party moved to contain the crisis earlier this week. On Wednesday, the rival AIADMK factions resolved their differences and withdrew disqualification petitions filed against each other before Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar. The development marked a temporary truce within the opposition party, even as it continues to press allegations against the ruling government over the recent defections.

Also Read: J.C.D. Prabhakar Set To Rule On AIADMK Merger Amid Unity Push