A Tamil Nadu minister from the TVK party said that DMK leaders offered cash to legislators to topple Chief Minister Joseph C. Vijay's government.
The accusations highlight a volatile political struggle for control of the state government less than two months after Joseph C. Vijay took office on May 7, 2024. Such allegations of horse-trading—the practice of bribing lawmakers to switch parties—threaten the stability of the current administration.
According to an unnamed TVK minister, the offers were intended to persuade TVK members of the legislative assembly to vote against the government [1]. Reports on the specific amount of money allegedly offered vary between sources. One report cited offers of up to Rs 50 crore [1], while other reports said the offer was Rs 35 crore [3].
Authorities took action on a Wednesday in early July 2024, when three people were arrested in connection with the horse-trading complaint [3]. These arrests follow the formal allegations that the DMK sought to undermine the Vijay administration through financial inducements.
The DMK denied the charges [2]. The party, led by President M.K. Stalin, said it rejected the claims that it attempted to illicitly remove the current government from power [2].
The political tension comes as the TVK government attempts to establish its legislative agenda while facing a strong opposition. The current dispute underscores the fragile nature of the majority in the state assembly, and the intensity of the rivalry between the TVK and the DMK.
“Three people were arrested in connection with the horse-trading complaint”
The allegations of horse-trading suggest a high-stakes effort by the opposition to destabilize a new administration. If the claims of multi-crore bribes are proven, it could lead to significant legal repercussions for DMK leadership and potentially trigger a constitutional crisis regarding the legitimacy of the state government's majority.
