One More AIADMK MLA in Karunanidhi's Net:Jaya expelled him from party post.

The ruling DMK President and Dravidian Patriarch and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's political game play hit ted the Main Opposition AIADMK, which suffered yet another set back as one more its MLA switched over loyalty from his "AMMA" to AIYYA"

One Rajendran elected to Tamil Nadu Assembly from Jayamkondam in the 2006 general election on AIADMK ticket, today called on Karunanidhi.
The Main Opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu suffered yet another set back as one more party MLA ''Jayankondam'' Rajendran called on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and pledged his support to the ruling DMK. in his Gopalappuram resident and given a representation, seeking developmental projects in his constituency.

As soon as the news came to the knowledge of Jayalalithaa, she removed him form the post of the Jayamkondam Union Secretary of the Jayalalithaa Peravai.

Asked about his sudden change of loyalty, Rajendran said, he could no longer be a puppet at the hands of AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa. "My Perambalur District Secretary Ilavazhagan acting as dictator and treating me as bonded labour. I made several complaints to the party leader ship. But there was no action. I fed up with this", Rajendran said in a angry mood.

Rajendran was the fifth MLA to ''defect'' to the ruling DMK after the AIADMK had lost the Assembly elections in May 2006. Jayalalithaa won 60 seats in that election, but ow the strength reduced to 54 in the assembly.(One Thambidurai resigned his MLA post and contested in the last year Parliament Election from Karur and got elected)

Even, Jayalalithaa defeated in the 2006 election, she lead a contingent of 60 MLA's after the 1962 election in which the DMK secured 57 seats and became as a main opposition. Since 1967 to 2006 Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed main Opposition parties with very thin representatives.

A week after Kovilpatti AIADMK MLA Radhakrishnan created a flutter when he called on Union Fertilizer Minister and DMK South Zone Organising Secretary M K Azagiri and later Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Mr Rajendran,fallow the suit, which amount to the embarrassment of AIADMK high command.

Recently, Jayalalithaa expelled popular cine and stage artist S Ve Shekar from the party, who rebelled against the party high command. He too hailed Deputy CM Stalin as the future of the state and faced the wrath of the party. After he openly associated himself with the DMK leaders, he was expelled from the party. As he refused to resign his seat, he was declared as an unattached member and given a seat among the treasury benches in the Assembly.

Then came the expulsion of Anitha Radhakrishnan and now Rajendran.

When asked about the spate of 'defections', Ms Jayalalithaa, a couple of days back said ''these MLAs are her creations. They will only go to the dustbin if they rebelled against the AIADMK leadership''.

However, MLAs switching loyalty was likely to cost the AIADMK dearly as it might find it difficult to win two Rajya Sabha seats the elections for which were due in June this year.

- Asian Tribune -