A day ahead of a meeting of MLAs of the two factions of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a group owing allegiance to sidelined deputy general secretary of the AIADMK (Amma) has announced that its legislators would not attend the meeting.
Acknowledging that he and his colleagues, numbering 21, received the call from the party headquarters to attend the meeting, Thangatamilselvan, a prominent face of the Dhinakaran group, told the media on Monday that the members of his group would not attend any such meeting until their demand that Edappadi K. Palaniswami be removed as the chief of the legislature party was acceded to.
He questioned the authority of those who convened Tuesday’s meeting of the legislature party and district secretaries, both of which could be done only by the general secretary or deputy general secretary.
Pointing out that he and his colleagues were issued notices by the government whip S. Rajendran for disqualification, he wondered “why we have been invited to take part in the meeting?”
A Minister in the government said a resolution was likely to be adopted, reiterating confidence in the leadership of Mr. Palaniswami.
Three MLAs – S. Karunaas (Thiruvadanai), who heads the Mukkulathor Pulipadai; M. Thamimun Ansari (Nagapattinam) of Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi; and U. Thaniyarasu (Kangeyam) of Tamil Nadu Kongu Ilaignar Peravai, have not yet decided on their participation.
MPs’ support
Meanwhile, two Members of Parliament – B. Senguttuvan (Vellore) and M. Udhayakumar (Dindigul) – met Mr. Dhinakaran and expressed their solidarity with him.
Mr. Senguttuvan later told The Hindu that though he was originally part of the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) headed by Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, he decided to shift his allegiance to Mr. Dhinakaran as Mr. Panneerselvam had chosen to be part of the government “which is riddled with corruption.” With this, the number of MPs supporting Mr. Dhinakaran has gone up to eight).
As part of his crackdown against supporters and members of the camp belonging to the Chief Minister, Mr. Dhinakaran removed Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam from the post of secretary of the Villupuram (North) district unit. R. Balasundaram has been made the new secretary.
