RAMANATHAPURAM: AIADMK town and union secretaries, who urged Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to remove IT Minister M Manikandan from the cabinet a few days ago, have sharpened their attack on the minister. They said that an inquiry against the minister, based on their complaint filed to the chief minister and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam was likely to be initiated in the first week of March.
Speaking to Express, M Angusamy, town secretary of Ramanathapuram, said that the chief minister and deputy chief minister had assured them of taking action against the minister. “The minister is not respecting any of the party cadre, not even elderly people. He is taking 30 per cent commission forcibly from the funds allocated for the developmental schemes in the district. Sand mafia is stealing sand from riverbeds by paying kickbacks to the minister through his family members. The minister’s father is acting like another minister in the district,” he alleged.
Angusamy further said that the minister was transferring officials arbitrarily. “He transferred Ramanathapuram Revenue Divisional Officer R Baby by influencing the ministry concerned. This was only because the members of MDMK and BJP pasted posters praising her for bringing Vaigai water to the ooranies of the town. I have, so far, heard that officials were transferred for not doing their work, but Baby was transferred for doing her duty. The minister expects that he should be praised for each and every activity carried out by the officials,” he alleged. He also added that the partymen of AIADMK were switching allegiance, particularly to MLA TTV Dhinakaran’s group. “All three town secretaries and nine union secretaries have submitted a petition against the minister to the CM and Deputy CM.
Partymen jumping ship: Ramanathapuram leader
M Angusamy, AIADMK Ramanathapuram town secretary, said the partymen were switching allegiance. He said, “All three town secretaries and nine union secretaries of the district have submitted a petition against the minister to the CM and Deputy CM. Two union secretaries have already moved to Dhinakaran’s group. So has the District Student Wing Treasurer.”