Chennai: Soon after the High Court delivered its verdict in the 18 MLAs disqualification case, AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran met the media and said,”I will discuss about our future course of action with my MLAs and then decide. If they want to challenge the verdict, we will go to the Supreme Court. But if they want to go for elections, we will also be ready for it. There is no chance we will merge with EPS-OPS. Whenever the (by-)elections will happen, we will win.”
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed joy over the verdict and in a joint press meet along with Deputy Chief Minister and party coordinator Panneerselvam, he said the Court has delivered a good verdict. “AIADMK will win in the by-elections whenever they are conducted. Election Commission will decide the date of by-poll,” he said.
DMK president M K Stalin said that his party does not have to worry about the verdict and people are ready to vote for them in the by-elections.
Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai said this was a just verdict and added that this was a victory for the people.
Meanwhile, terming the order as a ‘slap in the face of traitors’, Tamilnadu Assembly Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman said, “this is a victory for dharma and a slap in the face of traitors and cheaters. Even if an appeal is filed, we are sure that the truth will only win.”
Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan said those who have lost (Dhinakaran camp) are now speaking in frustration.
“It is a welcome judgment. Our stand has been upheld. Many people have tried to write obituary of our government ever since the demise of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, we have always come out on top,” he said.
State Law Minister C V Shanmugam said the verdict has taught a good lesson to Dhinakaran and his supporters.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan said he is shocked by the verdict and is against the democracy.
“The disqualified MLAs will surely win if they further appealed against the verdict,” he said.