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A sting operation carried out by Times Now and Moon TV’s Shanawaz on the AIADMK’s Madurai South MLA SS Saravanan has revealed that money may have changed hands to fix the 18 February trust vote.
On 8 February, over 100 AIADMK MLAs were bundled into buses and transported to Golden Bay Resorts at Koovathur, near Mahabalipuram. While there have been whispers of what happened at the resort, no MLA has come on record to admit whether a deal was struck between AIADMK (Amma) General Secretary VK Sasikala and the locked-up leaders.
Reacting to the sting operation, the DMK on Tuesday approached the Madras High Court seeking a probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the allegations.
“They did not commit anything directly… but we all got information. There was information that they are going to give Rs 2 crore to each MLA. When we got into the bus we heard it is going to be Rs 2 crore. So before reaching Koovathoor it became Rs 4 crore. So when we got into the bus it was Rs 2 crore and when we reached airport it was Rs 4 crore, then when we reached Koovathur it was Rs 6 crore. We kept hearing this and the next day they said there is no availability of cash and we have decided to give you gold...(sic)” revealed Saravanan on spy-camera.
Saravanan, incidentally, is the same MLA who made a dramatic escape from the Koovathur resort and switched to the O Panneerselvam camp.
If they had given what was promised, many wouldn’t have switched camps. All this was not needed… if they had asked us to go home and come back again we would have gone there like a herd. That’s how we are and have you seen anyone raising any question in AIADMK?SS Saravanan, MLA, Madurai South
In another sting operation carried out by Shabbir Ahmed, Times Now's Chennai bureau chief on R Kanakaraj, the AIADMK MLA from Sulur – who is now in the ruling EPS camp – confesses that money and gold were promised to MLAs with some having received the bribe.
“Yes, they promised us money and gold. Some of them have received it and some of them haven’t and the process is still on,” Kanakaraj admits on spy-camera.
OPS Camp Also Offered Money?
The latter part of the expose by the two channels has also indicted the rebel AIADMK faction. In the sting operation, the reporter poses as a middleman between the OPS camp and MLAs, who are in the ruling faction.
Saravanan, made the revelation that not just Sasikala, but former chief minister O Panneerselvam’s team was also willing to pay money for MLAs to switch sides.
In the tape, Saravana can be heard saying that a few MLAs had received Rs 1 crore from the OPS faction.
If these revelations are true, then it creates a serious dent on OPS’ image. The man who rebelled against VK Sasikala had been hailed a righteous hero standing up to corruption.
Saravanan asks, “Sir you mentioned that 2 MLAs are ready? Are they willing to switch sides? Are they ready? Did you check with them?”
Shanawaz, however, replies that the MLAs are hesitant to defect to the OPS camp, noting: “The issue is that they (OPS) had committed some amount and it was not fulfilled and you are reconsidering your decision. At that time, we had a discussion with Hari (broker) and he promised that he will get the amount.”
When asked about whether a deal could be fixed, Saravanan replies, “You told me Rs 2 crore right. I have informed them (OPS camp?). They told me that all others have received Rs 1 crore. I told them that they (MLAs) are expecting Rs 2 crore and once you give it to them they will switch to our camp...” (sic)
Saravanan goes on to make more promises, stating, “You confirm and let me know. I will bring the money here. We will give them a minister’s post. You ask them to join us. If OPS anna becomes CM the 11 MLAs who are supporting him will all become ministers and if these two MLAs are willing to join us we will make them ministers. There will be no change.”
OPS Faction Denies Allegations
Denying the allegations, Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan said, “Many MLAs came to the OPS camp in the beginning, after 11 or 12 February, MLAs stopped coming because the other side, Sasikala was sitting in Koovathur for three nights and she was offering money. If OPS was offering money, he would have been the CM today.”
(With inputs from The News Minute and The News Minute.)
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