The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Monday expelled T. Velmurugan, the joint general secretary of the party and two-time MLA, for anti-party activities and his “harsh remarks” against party founder S. Ramadoss and other senior leaders.
The high-level committee meeting of the PMK held here on October 30 and 31 took a decision on his expulsion.
“The 24-member body of the high-level committee on Sunday unanimously decided to expel him and the decision was implemented today,” PMK founder S. Ramadoss told The Hindu .
Dr. Ramadoss said Mr. Velmurugan himself was present when an inquiry was conducted in the high-level committee meeting.
“We had the recorded speech of Velmurugan in Cuddalore, addressing his supporters in the wake of Assembly elections. The committee watched and sought an explanation. He could not give a proper reply,” Dr. Ramadoss further said.
The PMK leader accused Mr. Velmurugan of “planting” negative stories in some section of the media aimed at tarnishing the image of the party. Mr. Velmurugan, elected from the Panruti constituency two times, defeating veteran Panruti Ramachandran, functioned as the whip of the party in the previous Assembly.
An articulate politician, Mr. Velmurugan was one of the MLAs who won the affection of the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
However, he preferred an alliance with the AIADMK in the 2011 Assembly election.
But the PMK leadership decided to go with the DMK. Mr. Velmurugan, contested from the newly created Neyveli Assembly constituency, instead of Panruti in the elections.
He, however, lost to the AIADMK's M.P.S. Sivasubramaniyam.
Asked for his comments, Mr. Velmurugan told The Hindu he was not given an opportunity to explain his position and was not informed about his expulsion.
“I started my political career in the Vanniyar Sangam in the early eighties when I was 15 years old. I reached the position of joint general secretary of the party through hard work and loyalty to the leadership. I have faced cases and spent money for party activities by selling properties. I don't like to say anything else,” he said.
