The Tamil Nadu Assembly is set to witness by-elections in seven constituencies after Karur MLA and former state minister MR Vijayabaskar resigned from the Assembly, increasing the number of vacant seats in the House to seven.
Vijayabaskar submitted his resignation on June 29, becoming the latest legislator to quit the Assembly amid continuing political realignments in the state. Political sources indicate that he is likely to join the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the coming days.
Latest Resignation Deepens AIADMK Setback
MR Vijayabaskar was elected from the Karur Assembly constituency in the April 23 Assembly elections after defeating TVK candidate V P Mathiyalagan. However, despite contesting on the AIADMK ticket, he was among the party legislators who supported the TVK-led government during the floor test held in the Assembly on May 13.
His resignation marks another major setback for the AIADMK, which has witnessed a steady stream of resignations since the Assembly election results were declared on May 4.
With Vijayabaskar stepping down, six AIADMK MLAs have now resigned from the Assembly, significantly reducing the party’s legislative strength.
Assembly Strength Changes
Following the latest resignation, the AIADMK’s tally in the Tamil Nadu Assembly has dropped from 47 MLAs to 41.
Apart from the six resignations from the AIADMK, another vacancy arose after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay vacated the Tiruchirappalli East seat upon deciding to retain his Perambur constituency after winning from two Assembly seats.
As a result, the total number of vacant Assembly constituencies has reached seven.
Several MLAs Joined or Expected to Join TVK
The resignations are part of an ongoing political shift that began shortly after the Assembly floor test.
Several AIADMK legislators, including Maragatham Kumaravel, P Sathyabama, S Jayakumar and Esakki Subaya, resigned from the party and later joined the ruling TVK.
Former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, who also resigned earlier, is expected to formally join the ruling party soon.
Political observers believe the developments reflect growing instability within the AIADMK following its electoral setback.
Seven Constituencies to Go for Bypolls
With seven Assembly seats now vacant, the Election Commission is expected to announce by-elections for all the affected constituencies in due course.
The vacant seats are:
- Karur
- Viralimalai
- Madurantakam
- Dharapuram
- Perundurai
- Ambasamudram
- Tiruchirappalli East
The upcoming bypolls are expected to be politically significant as they will test the popularity of the ruling TVK government while offering the opposition an opportunity to regain lost ground.
The latest resignation has further intensified political activity in Tamil Nadu, with attention now shifting towards the expected by-election schedule and the possibility of more political defections in the coming months.
