COIMBATORE: Justifying his decision to not accept the AIADMK deputy general secretary post, former minister SP Velumani asked how he could accept the post when 30 district secretaries who accompanied him were denied party postings. A video of his speech on Sunday, addressing his supporters, went viral on social media on Tuesday.
Sources said that he is likely to resign from the party deputy general secretary post on Wednesday. He will arrive in Chennai and submit his resignation, sources said.
“I am not ready to abandon those who place their trust in me and accompany me. How can I accept the deputy general secretary post when 30 district secretaries who came with me were denied party posts? People like KC Veeramani, P Thangamani, C Vijayabakar and C Ve Shanmugam are key persons who helped develop the party. Yet, they were not given party posts,” Velumani can be heard saying in the video.
“How can I accept the AIADMK joining hands with the DMK? We will not accept those who go to the DMK,” he further said.
The meeting was reportedly held without banners or portraits of former chief ministers MG Ramachandran, J Jayalalithaa and Palaniswami. However, Velumani has dismissed since these claims.
Despite being appointed deputy general secretary, Velumani did not meet Palaniswami immediately after the organisational appointments were announced.
Speaking to reporters at the Coimbatore International Airport on Tuesday, before leaving for Chennai, Velumani declined to elaborate on the purpose of his visit or whether he too would join the TVK.
Sources said his visit comes ahead of the AIADMK women’s wing meeting scheduled to be held in the presence of Palaniswami. Sources say Velumani may skip the meeting and could instead take part in the alliance partners’ meeting convened by the TVK.