Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder C Joseph Vijay has summoned all TVK MLAs to Chennai for an emergency consultative meeting on Wednesday, 11 November, at 11 am at the party headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai.
Vijay will chair the meeting with party general secretary and minister N Anand and other senior leaders. The meeting will address mounting allegations about the conduct of party MLAs and issue strict instructions on discipline.
The Deputy Speaker controversy
Deputy Speaker M Ravisankar faces criticism after a video circulated allegedly showing him assaulting Karthik Kumar, a resident of Thuraiyur, Tiruchirappalli, who had approached him over basic civic issues. Kumar was admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, Tiruchirappalli.
Kumar later released a video with the deputy speaker saying the incident had been exaggerated and describing it as minor pushing and shoving in a crowded place. The allegation against Ravisankar remains unproven, and no finding has been made.
The second controversy
Kallakurichi MLA C Arul Vignesh faces allegations of sending inappropriate WhatsApp messages to Kallakurichi District Collector J E Padmaja. Vignesh has denied the allegations. DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi alleged Vignesh harassed the collector, forcing her to arrange personal security.
A senior TVK minister said an internal committee headed by N Anand would investigate the allegations against both legislators before the leadership decides on disciplinary measures.
The party fears the controversies could hurt the public standing of the six-month-old government, which came to power earlier this year.
For now, the meeting at Panaiyur is expected to set out the party's response, with strict instructions on discipline for its legislators and a decision on the internal investigation into the two cases.
