CHENNAI: A senior leader of the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), Hyder Ali, on Friday resigned as the Chairman of Tamil Nadu Wakf Board.
Though he stated that he put in his papers due to personal reasons, sources said the DMK’s denial to accommodate the MMK in the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) by allocating at least two seats to it, was the reason for Hyder Ali’s resignation. Hyder Ali is likely to contest in the Central Chennai constituency as MMK candidate, while another leader of the party Jawahiruallah would be fielded from Mayiladuthurai.
The party would also field another candidate in Ramanathapuram.
Hyder Ali told Express that the MMK had already held talks with the Samathuva Makkal Katchi and Puthiya Thamizhagam on forming a new front and talks were progressing with some other parties as well. He said the MMK’s future course of action would be known by April 13.
Speaking to Express here on Friday, party district secretary Thamim Ahamad said, “Though we initially expressed our decision to support the AIADMK, its general secretary Jayalalithaa did not invite us for talks. Hence, we have decided to align with AISMK and Pudhiya Thamizhagam.” The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam floated its political party, MMK, on February 7 and held several rounds of talks with the ruling DMK for forging an alliance, but the DMK rejected the MMK’s demand for minimum two seats.