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MDMK to issue whip to MPs

New Delhi: The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko on Friday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee about the party’s decision to issue a whip to its four MPs to vote against the confidence motion on July 22.

Mr. Vaiko said he had authorised party MP C. Krishnan to issue a three-line whip to other members A. Ravichandran and dissident members L. Ganesan and Gingee N. Ramachandran. Asked whether the party would seek disqualification of the two rebel MPs if they defied the whip, he said: “It will be decided after the voting takes place.”

In his letter submitted to the Speaker’s office, Mr. Vaiko said: “Gingee Ramachandran, MP, raised a dispute before the Election Commission, claiming him as the general secretary of the party.” It said the Commission, in its order dated May 30, had held that the group led by Mr. Vaiko was the real MDMK, and was entitled to use the reserved symbol ‘top’.

Mr. Vaiko said: According to the order passed by the Commission, I am the general secretary of the MDMK who has been empowered to take decisions in all matters and functioning of the party according to the constitution of the MDMK.”

Regarding the special session of the Lok sabha to be convened on July 21 and 22 to consider and decide on the confidence motion to be moved by the government, the letter said: “I have to inform you that the MDMK has decided to oppose the confidence motion. Accordingly, I am issuing a directive that each of the elected MPs of the MDMK should vote according to the directive of the party. I am authorising C. Krishnan, MP to issue a directive, three line whip to three other MPs.”

Mr. Vaiko said according to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, “the directive given by a political party has to be carried out by the members elected on the party ticket and defiance would attract disqualification. Even abstention from voting against the party directive could lead to disqualification.”

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