Chennai, May 26 -- Tamil Nadu assembly speaker JCD Prabhakar on Tuesday accepted Ambasamudram AIADMK MLA Esakki Subaya's resignation, further deepening the political crisis within the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, as per sources.

Earlier, Prabhakar had rejected Subaya's resignation and demanded a handwritten submission.

With Subaya's resignation, the total number of resignations from the AIADMK camp has risen to four, reducing the party's strength in the Tamil Nadu Assembly to 43 MLAs.

According to party sources, 27 MLAs are backing AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, while 16 legislators are said to be supporting senior leaders SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam.

The total number of vacant Assembly constituencies has now risen to fiv...