AIADMK legislator resigns from Tamil Nadu assembly

Chennai, May 17  AIADMK legislator P. Vetrivel on Sunday resigned and his resignation has been accepted, the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly secretary said.

A statement issued by assembly secretary A.M.P. Jamaludeen said Vetrivel - who represented the Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency - resigned from the membership of the assembly and it has been accepted.

No reason for his resignation was given in the statement and Vetrivel was not available for comments.

The development led to speculation that AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa may contest from Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency in north Chennai in her bid to get re-elected to the assembly.

Jayalalithaa, who was elected from Srirangam constituency in 2011, lost her post and the chief ministership after being convicted in the Rs.66 crore disproportionate assets case by a lower court in Bengaluru.

The Karnataka High Court upheld her appeal against the conviction and acquitted her recently.

The party retained the Srirangam seat in the bye-election.

The AIADMK has called a meeting of its assembly members on May 22 at the party headquarters here.

Though the agenda has not been specified, it is speculated that Jayalalithaa may be elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party, paving the way for becoming the chief minister again.

With Vetrivel's resignation, the AIADMK's strength in the 234-member assembly comes down by one to 150, excluding the speaker.