Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami along with Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam addresses the media after Madras High Court’s verdict on disqualification of 18 rebel MLAs of the AIADMAK party. (PTI Photo)

Following the Madras High Court’s verdict to uphold the disqualification of 18 rebel MLAs, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami said, the dreams of those who tried to break the AIADMK and come to power have been shattered. Addressing a function Chennai, Palaniswami said, “We will work hard to protect AIADMK which was nurtured by party founder late M G Ramachandran and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa,” he said.

Attacking TTV Dhinakaran and DMK, Palaniswami alleged that after Jayalalithaa’s death, “some betrayers” joined hands with the DMK to split the party and topple the government, by creating obstacles. But the “enemies” were given the right punishment.

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Reacting to the verdict, Dhinakaran termed this as an ” experience” and said the verdict is not a setback to his camp. However, the disqualified MLAs have decided to approach the Supreme Court against the high court order.

The rebels, supporting the Sasikala-Dhinakaran faction, were expelled by the Tamil Nadu Speaker after the former expressed lack of confidence in Chief Minister E Palaniswami last year.

The revolt of the 18 MLAs had brought the Palaniswami government to a minority last year before the disqualification order passed by Speaker Dhanapal on September 18, 2017. The government needed 117 MLAs in the 234-member House to retain a majority, but 122 MLAs were ranged on the other side at the time, including 89 from DMK, eight from Congress, one from IUML and 24 with Dhinakaran. The minimum number needed had then come down to 107 with the disqualification of the 18 MLAs.