Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Wednesday said that all three MLAs, who were served show-cause notice by the Assembly Speaker, were members of AMMK when it was a legally recognised faction of AIADMK.

Talking to reporters here, he said the three MLAs, E. Rathinasabapathy of Aranthangi, V.T. Kalaiselvan of Vridhachalam and A. Prabhu of Kallakurichi, were members of AMMK till April 18 when the party was not registered.

The RK Nagar MLA claimed that he did not register the AMMK only to protect them. “Even when the party was registered on April 19, we did not involve them.”

Hence, the Speaker could not disqualify them on the ground of anti-party activities. “If the Speaker would still want to deliberately disqualify them, we will face election.”

The move to disqualify them only reflected the fear of defeat in the mind of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, he said.

On Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin handing over a petition to the Secretary of Tamil Nadu Assembly, seeking to bring a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, Mr. Dhinakaran said it appeared that the move would not save the three MLAs from disqualification.

“Had he wanted to do it, he should have given the petition before the Speaker issued the show-cause notice to the three MLAs. Now, it looks like Mr. Stalin only wanted to expedite the disqualification process,” he said.

Asked about his party’s stand on the no-confidence motion, Mr. Dhinakaran said the AIADMK government led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami would fall before that when the results of 18 Assembly constituencies that went to by-election would be declared on May 23.

“I sought votes only to throw out this anti-people and betrayers of Jayalalithaa. Hence, we will want to put an end to his government and will fight another general election in six months,” he added.