BODI/RAMANATHAPURAM: While All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam functionaries of Bodi and Periyakulam, his home town, pledged their support to O. Panneerselvam, who revolted against the party high command, supporters of party general secretary V. K. Sasikala burnt or attempted to burn effigies of the Chief Minister in Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts on Wednesday.
Members and functionaries of the Periyakulam town wing hurriedly convened a meeting in the morning and passed a resolution extending full support to Mr. Panneerselvam and appealing to him to become party’s general secretary and continue as Chief Minister. Later, they staged a demonstration. A section of party cadre in Theni town observed fast.
Loyalists of Mr. Panneerselvam in Bodi town were the first in Theni district to react immediately in support of their MLA followed by residents of Vembakottai near Thevaram. A group of people sat in front of the Thevar statue in Bodi on Tuesday last night to show their support to Mr. Panneerselvam. Several banners came up in Bodi in his support in the morning.
Dindigul
A few AIADMK cadre in Kodaikanal and Oddanchatram staged demonstration against the Chief Minister. Supporters of former Minister R. Viswanathan, who met Mr. Panneerselvam in Chennai, were waiting for an opportunity to demonstrate their support, said AIADMK sources.
Ms. Sasikala’s supporters, including Murugan former Mudukulathur MLA, and union secretaries burnt Mr. Panneerselvam’s effigy in Ramanathapuram district and in five places in Sivaganga district, police said.
Police have registered First Information Reports in all the cases but no arrest was made. The protest was held in Ramanathapuram, Nainarkoil, Paramakudi, Kamuthi, Mandapam, Sayalkudi, Mudukulathur and Kadaladi. In Sivaganga, effigies were burnt in Manamadurai, Karaikudi, Tiruppattur and Devakottai.
There has been no open support for Mr Panneerselvam in the two districts as the party’s elected representatives – Information Technology Minister K. Manikandan (Ramanathapuram) and Minister for Khadi and Village Industries G. Baskaran (Sivaganga) -- had pledged their support to Ms Sasikala. Paramakudi MLA S. Muthiah, Sivaganga MP and district secretary P. R. Senthilnathan and Ramanathapuram district secretary M. A. Muniasamy are also with Ms. Sasikala.
Virudhunagar
Minister for Dairy Development K. T. Rajenthra Bhalaji, Virudhunagar district secretary, also backed general secretary Sasikala. Mr. Bhalaji said that all the three AIADMK MLAs of the district were in Sasikala camp. “Even the Virudhunagar MP, T. Radhakrishnan, is in our our camp,” he added.
