Former DMK MLA V. Karuppasamy Pandian and former Minister V. Mullaivendan, who were expelled from the party some years ago, will rejoin the DMK in a couple of days.
DMK sources said invitation had been extended to both the leaders and that they would soon join the party in the presence of the newly elected president M.K. Stalin. “He wants to send across a message that he is accommodative. His only objective is to strengthen the party organisation,” said the DMK source.
Mr. Karuppasamy Pandian, a heavyweight in politics in Tirunelveli since the days of MGR had joined the DMK and was even elected to the Assembly. But he had differences of opinion with former Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiyappan, who is also a key man in Tirunelveli, and was expelled from the party in May 2015 on charges of violating party discipline.
Though Mr. Pandian returned to the AIADMK and was made one of the organising secretaries of the party, he resigned his post to express his protest against the appointment of T.T.V. Dhinakaran as the party’s deputy general secretary in early 2017. Asked about his return to the DMK,Mr. Pandian said he was waiting for a message from Chennai.
Mr. Mullaivendan, a Minister in Karunanidhi’s cabinet between 1996 and 2001, was expelled from the party in 2014. He had joined the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), led by Vijayakant, but remained on the periphery. Confirming that Mr. Mullaivendan has been approached, DMK MLA and Dharmapuri unit district secretary Thadangam Subramani told The Hindu: “It’s true and we will meet to make a formal invitation.”
