TIRUNELVELI
With the target of bringing back a sizeable number of cadres and office-bearers from the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is making massive arrangements here to organise a public meeting here on Sunday to celebrate the 102nd birth anniversary of party’s founder and late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.
As Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami addresses the public meeting to be held in Tirunelveli Town on Sunday evening, the meeting assumes greater significance. After receiving the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister at KTC Nagar on Palayamkottai outskirts around Sunday noon, they will be taken to a nearby marriage hall, where they are expected to address those who join the AIADMK from other political parties.
“Around 5,000 persons from the Opposition parties and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam are joining the AIADMK. A group of youths from Rajini Makkal Mandram is also joining the AIADMK,” said party’s presidium chairman ‘Bharani’ Sankarlingam.
After N. Ganesa Raja became the Tirunelveli City district secretary of the party, he is working keenly on emptying the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, the TTV Dhinakaran-led breakaway group of the AIADMK. Since the AMMK is struggling to survive in the district owing to lack of coordination between the party office-bearers here, the poaching attempts being made by Mr. Ganesa Raja have started yielding results as over 200 youth from AMMK returned to the AIADMK recently.
“There is a huge surprise in store for you as you are going to see some important people returning to the parent body (AIADMK) from the AMMK on Sunday in the presence of the Chief Minister,” said a senior office-bearer of the party.
As per the strategy, the AMMK’s area secretaries are being successfully persuaded to return to the AIADMK as they have sizeable following in their respective areas, which would make any party weaker at the grassroots level. The ongoing encouraging developments in the AIADMK have apparently enthused the Chief Minister, it seems.
Though Mr. Palaniswami, who was on his way to Nagercoil by road on September 21 last to participate in the MGR Birth Centenary celebrations on the next day, had no plans to address the party cadre from a roadside dais erected at Srinivasa Nagar on Palayamkottai, the huge crowd mobilised there forced him to stop and address from the dais.
“It was at this point, he launched a scathing attack on M.K. Stalin that the Opposition Leader was lying every day by levelling unfounded allegations against his administration and it continued when he addressed the function in Nagercoil. So we feel that the unscheduled stop and address by the Chief Minister at Srinivasa Nagar is a recognition he gave to the AIADMK’s functioning here in Tirunelveli,” said Mr. Ganesa Raja.
When asked about the pits being dug along the roads to erect welcome arches, Mr. Raja said the holes, which should have been dug on the roadside, would be filled properly once the function is over. “I’ll personally inspect and get it done,” he assured.
