'Was offered Rs 35 crore': TVK MLA alleges political horse-trading; 3 arrested, V Senthil Balaji named

NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu Police arrested 3 people in connection with an alleged political horse-trading bid after Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) MLA N Ilaiyaraja claimed he was offered Rs 35 crore to influence his vote on a proposed resolution in the state assembly against the Speaker.The investigation has also named former DMK minister V Senthil Balaji and his brother, V Ashok Kumar, as allegedly being linked to the conspiracy, according to a police press release issued on Wednesday. According to the complaint filed by Ilaiyaraja with the Chennai Police Commissioner on June 29, a man identified as Thirunavukkarasu contacted him claiming to head an opinion polling organisation called Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS) and said he was reaching out on behalf of members of a major political party. The caller allegedly later told the TVK legislator that a resolution would be moved against the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative assembly and asked him to vote in a particular manner despite being a member of the ruling party. In return, he allegedly offered Ilaiyaraja up to Rs 35 crore. The MLA alleged that he rejected the offer and asked the caller not to contact him again. However, Thirunavukkarasu allegedly threatened him, warning that he and his family would face consequences if he disclosed the conversation.

Police said the investigation later revealed that V Ashok Kumar, the brother of former DMK minister and Coimbatore South MLA V Senthil Balaji, had met Naresh in Chennai. Investigators further alleged that Thirunavukkarasu contacted Ilaiyaraja at the behest of Senthil Balaji and Ashok Kumar. The case comes months after the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, in which TVK won 108 seats in its electoral debut, ending the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK alliances.