Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Amid allegations of horse-trading that have thrown Tamil Nadu’s political circles into a dither, TVK MLA N Elaiyaraja has claimed he was offered Rs 30-35 crore to switch sides, with the accused allegedly telling him that 10 ruling party MLAs and a sitting minister had already agreed to join the DMK.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Elaiyaraja said the accused, Thirunavukkarasu, claimed that several legislators had already agreed to cross over and repeatedly tried to persuade him to join the alleged plan.
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“The accused Thirunavukkarasu claimed he has already convinced 10 TVK MLAs and one minister to side with the DMK. He told me he has even convinced a sitting minister and offered me Rs 30-35 crore in cash. He said this was a huge offer for me and tried convincing me.”
The MLA said he outright rejected the alleged offer and remained committed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
“I told him that had I known this was the reason he was calling me, I wouldn’t have picked up the phone itself,” he told India Today.
Reiterating his loyalty to the ruling party, Ilayaraja said he had no intention of betraying the mandate given to him by the people.
“I want to be loyal to my leader Vijay. I want to make a name for myself and do good to people by the time I leave this world. Something sounds fishy. He claimed 10 MLAs and a minister had agreed.”
The fresh claim comes hours after Tamil Nadu Police arrested Thirunavukkarasu, Naresh and Thiyagarajan in connection with the alleged bid to induce TVK legislators. Police have also named former DMK minister V. Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok Kumar in the FIR, alleging links between the accused and the alleged conspiracy. The DMK has denied the allegations.
According to Elaiyaraja’s original complaint, Thirunavukkarasu allegedly contacted him claiming to represent a political consultancy and sought to influence his vote on a proposed assembly resolution concerning the Speaker. The MLA alleged he was offered Rs 30–35 crore and warned of consequences if he refused. The alleged conversation led to a police complaint and the subsequent arrests.
The controversy has since snowballed into a full-blown political slugfest, with the ruling TVK accusing the DMK of attempting to destabilise the Vijay government through horse-trading. In response, the DMK has filed a complaint before the Governor and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), seeking an FIR against Chief Minister Vijay over separate allegations that he attempted to induce two DMK MLAs to resign.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
