DMK BJP and AIADMK Complain To Governor Over TVK Cabinet Meetings In Chennai

Opposition parties in Chennai met with Governor Rajendra Vishwanth Arlekar at Lok Bhavan to lodge formal complaints against the TVK-led administration. The delegations from the DMK, BJP, and AIADMK raised concerns regarding the participation of private individuals in official government discussions at the Secretariat, alleging a violation of the oath of secrecy by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The opposition parties independently called on the Governor to register their protests. They identified the two private individuals participating in confidential government deliberations as John Arockiyasamy and Vishnu Reddy.

The DMK delegation, which included organization secretary R S Bharati, chief legal advisor and MP P Wilson, Kanyakumari MLA S Austin, and party law department joint secretary E Paranthman, submitted a complaint about the breach of secrecy. They also raised allegations of horse-trading against the TVK.

According to the DMK, Austin was contacted by a TVK leader who offered him Rs 50 crore in monetary compensation and a welfare board chairman post to resign from his MLA post and join the TVK. The DMK also highlighted remarks made by MDMK general secretary Vaiko, who alleged that Chief Minister Vijay wanted two of his party MLAs—who won on the DMK's 'rising sun' symbol—to resign and contest again on a TVK ticket.

The BJP delegation was led by State president Nainar Nagenthiran, alongside information in charge Narayan Tirupathi and State-in charge Aravind Menon. The team urged Governor Arlekar to advise Chief Minister Vijay to stop allowing private individuals into Cabinet meetings.

Representing the AIADMK, MLA Agri S S Krishnamurty and MP I S Inbasudurai accused the TVK of subverting the electoral mandate and engaging in horse-trading to engineer MLA resignations. They requested an independent enquiry into the presence of John Arockiyasamy and Vishnu Reddy in Cabinet meetings.

Additionally, the DMK raised concerns about security protocol violations, claiming that the Chief Minister's personal bodyguard was accompanying him inside the Secretariat. Following the meetings, Bharati told the media that the delegations had personally explained the alleged horse-trading and abuse of power to Governor Arlekar.