I don’t back AMMK but will remain loyal to Chinnamma: A Prabhu

Chennai: Kallakurichi AIADMK legislator A. Prabhu, among three MLAs on whom Tamil Nadu Speaker P. Dhanapal initiated disqualification proceedings for supporting AMMK leader T. T. V. Dhinakaran, has asserted that he will ever remain loyal to Chinna Amma (jailed V. K. Sasikala).

 Though his open admission on Tuesday may not offer him immunity from the Speaker's ire or that of the AIADMK leadership, the lawmaker is likely to run into trouble for his remarks.  "I am not supporting AMMK but I will always remain loyal to Chinna Amma because she is instrumental in ensuring this government was formed and it was she who introduced me to Puratchi thalaivi (former CM Jayalalithaa) and gave me an opportunity to become MLA," he said.

 Speaking to reporters here Prabhu said he would always remain loyal to Sasikala for his elevation. On Dhinakaran, the dissident MLA Prabhu said, "he is my well-wisher. I hold him in high esteem."

 Prabhu who earlier called on Assembly Secretary K. Srinivasan to seek additional time to reply to the Speaker's notice served on him, said that he was told that the Supreme Court's interim stay on the disqualification proceedings applied to him as well. "I had sought a week's time to respond to the notice issued to me but the Assembly Secretary informed me that the Supreme Court ruling was applicable to me too," he said.

 On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered an interim stay on the disqualification notice issued to three AIADMK lawmakers by the Speaker, while acting upon a petition filed by two of the three dissident MLAs E. Rathinasabapathy (Aranthangi Assembly constituency) and V.T. Kalaiselvan (Virudhachalam). The two had sought to prohibit the Speaker from disqualifying them.

 Mr Dhanapal had issued notices to them seeking to why they should not be disqualified for supporting Dhinakaran. In his notice, the Speaker had attached evidence to support his claim and had given a week's time to the MLAs to respond. The notices were served on them following a recommendation to this effect by Chief Government Whip S. Rajendran and law minister C Ve Shanmugam.

 Prabhu also dismissed as rumour that he had been 'detained' by the law minister.