TNLA Speaker M Appavu accepts Vijayadharani's resignation

CHENNAI: Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, M Appavu, on Sunday accepted the resignation of Congress MLA S Vijayadharani. The Speaker took the decision as Vijayadharani had sent her resignation letter to him on Saturday (February 24).

Addressing reporters at Tirunelveli, Speaker M Appavu said as Vijayadharani has duly submitted her resignation letter, I accepted her resignation.

“The related documents of her resignation will be sent to the Election Commission of India. Later, the vacancy of Vilavancode Assembly Constituency seat will be formally notified by the Assembly Secretary,” Appavu said.

Elaborating the scenes behind the acceptance of resignation, the Speaker said, “TNCC president and MLA K Selvaperunthagai has sent a letter to me and the Assembly Secretary seeking immediate disqualification of MLA S Vijayadharani, who was elected from the Congress party as per the Constitution. Subsequently, she also sent her resignation letter in her handwritten form through E-Mail to me and the Assembly Secretary. The details of these two letters were brought to my notice by the AS. When I reviewed it, I came to know that she had formally given her resignation letter. Again, she called me on Sunday morning and informed me about her resignation.”

Vijayadharani, a three-time MLA and a prominent face in the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), resigned from the State Assembly and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.

“I hereby tender my resignation of my seat in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly with effect from February 24, 2024,” she said in a resignation letter sent to the Speaker.

She joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister of State L Murugan and Tamil Nadu BJP Lok Sabha election in-charge Arvind Menon and co-in-charge Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy and later she called on BJP national president JP Nadda.

(With inputs from Bureau)