CHENNAI: DMK functionaries in charge of nine Assembly constituencies the party lost in the recent bypolls are likely to face action. Sources said the high command is upset over the defeat in the bypolls despite the party sweeping the Lok Sabha elections. This is because the loss of nine seats meant that the party has to continue to sit in the opposition benches.
DMK president MK Stalin had reiterated during the poll campaign that his party would win in all the 22 MLA constituencies where bypolls were held on April 18 and get a majority strength in the Assembly and capture power in the State. Ruling AIADMK won in nine of the 22 constituencies where bypolls were held.
A DMK MLA who was in-charge of the party’s campaign in an Assembly constituency told Express, “For the last three days, it was widely discussed in party circles that action will be taken against functionaries in-charge of the nine constituencies. We got more number of votes than the AIADMK overall, but only in these nine constituencies we got less votes. Hence, the top leadership is upset and planning to take action against those concerned”.
A few other senior functionaries also said they had heard about the move to take action against the functionaries in the nine constituencies. However, one of them said, “So far there is no official word on this. But, I think it is not possible. For instance, in Sulur alone, functionaries from 17 district units were engaged in campaigning. How is it possible to take action against so many people?”
Meanwhile, as the party is gearing up for the birth anniversary celebrations of the late president M Karunanidhi on June 3, any action against the functionaries is likely only after the event.