Senior AIADMK leaders J.C.D. Prabhakar and A. Anwhar Raajhaa on Wednesday supported coordinator O. Panneerselvam’s pitch for a discussion on the issue of re-admission of former interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala into the party.
Mr. Prabhakar, a steering committee member and one of the organisation secretaries, said he did not find anything wrong in Mr. Panneerselvam’s demand. “Let there be a discussion. I will abide by the decision of the party,” the two-time Villivakkam MLA said.
“Why do you want to avoid the discussion? How can anyone say that the matter should not be discussed at all?” wondered Mr. Raajhaa, former Labour Minister and Member of Parliament from Ramanathapuram.
Mr. Prabhakar is the deputy secretary of the AIADMK minorities’ wing, while Mr. Raajha is the secretary.
‘Resolution not binding’
The resolution adopted at a meeting of the AIADMK Legislature Party in June against Ms. Sasikala, Mr. Prabhakar argued, would not be binding on anyone who was not a legislator, like him. Besides, “the legislature party is not the policy-making body. As observed by Mr. Panneerselvam, let all the office-bearers meet, deliberate on the matter and come to a conclusion.”
Asked whether the party’s functionaries would meet Ms. Sasikala during her current visit to Thanjavur and a couple of southern districts, the former Villivakkam MLA emphasised that no one from the party would meet her.
His information was that she would interact with members of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, led by her nephew and former MLA T.T.V. Dhinakaran.
The former MP said the meeting that he demanded should also discuss the circumstances in which certain decisions were taken. They included the alliance with the BJP and a 10.5% special reservation for the Vanniyars within the overall quota of 20% for the Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities.
“These decisions were taken unilaterally by Edappadi K. Palaniswami when he was the Chief Minister,” he said.
On the party’s interests
Would not the re-admission of Ms. Sasikala go against the party electorally? Mr. Raajhaa asked counter-questions: “Why should you assume that such a move would be against the party’s interests before it is made? Didn’t you see the fate of the calculation that the 10.5% quota would yield tremendous gains for the party in the northern districts?”
According to him, the AMMK’s presence had cost the AIADMK dear in at least 20 constituencies in the 2021 Assembly election.
