D. Ravikumar. File | Photo credit: T. Singaravelou
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) general secretary and Villupuram MP D. Ravikumar on Friday (May 15, 2026) urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to induct an MLA from the breakaway faction of the AIADMK into his cabinet as it would “raise serious questions of political propriety”.
In his statement, Mr. Ravikumar said that only AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has the power to appoint the party Whip, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in Subhash Desai v. State of Maharashtra.
“Court categorically held: Whip and leader of party in House is appointed by political party and not legislative party. Further, direction to vote a certain way or abstain from voting is given by political party and not by legislative party. Therefore, whip issued by AIADMK leadership is binding on all members elected on party ticket. Any challenge to MLA under clause 2 defies such proceedings. Tenth Schedule,” observed Mr. Ravikumar.
While there was no immediate constitutional bar to appointing some of these MLAs as ministers, he argued that legality alone could not be the only test in matters affecting constitutional morality and democratic ethics.
“If the Chief Minister still intends to induct them into the ministry, the only constitutionally cleaner course of action would be for these MLAs to resign their seats, formally join the TVK and seek a new mandate from the people through by-elections,” he said.
“Ultimately, the crucial question is political rather than legal: will people accept such defection and re-elect those MLAs under a different party banner? That in itself will test the legitimacy of such a political course,” Ravikumar said.
Published – 15 May 2026 14:44 IST
