V.C. Arukutty, MLA from the Kavundampalayam constituency in Coimbatore, on Friday announced that he is no longer part of the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction, led by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. He indicated that he is likely to support the AIADMK (Amma) faction led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Addressing journalists at his house near Kavundampalayam, Mr. Arukutty said he quit the OPS camp as he was being sidelined and was not even invited for party events and public meetings.
He later told The Hindu over phone that voters and party leaders from his constituency were of the opinion that he should switch to the AIADMK (Amma) faction. “Welfare schemes to the tune of ₹20 crore have been announced for the constituency, for which I thanked the Chief Minister. After this, I was sidelined in my faction,” said Mr. Arukutty. However, leaders of the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) insisted that Mr. Arukutty’s exit did not constitute a setback to their camp. A senior leader of the faction told The Hindu that the MLA had been maintaining a distance from the other members of AIADMK (PTA) over the past few weeks.
