CHENNAI: AIADMK internal feud came to an end with both groups meeting Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar and withdrawing their pleas for disqualifying the MLAs of the other group.
After meeting the Speaker, former Minister SP Velumani, who led the rival group along with CVe Shanmugam, said, "The AIADMK stands united now. Our general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami, agreed to consider our requests one by one in due course. So, there is no split in the AIADMK. There were only differences, and now they have been sorted out."
Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar said he would be announcing his decision on the representations given by the AIADMK factions on Thursday.
Velumani said the representation filed by Agri SS Krishnamurthy for the disqualification of 25 AIADMK MLAs who supported the TVK government and the representation filed by C Vijaya Baskar for the disqualification of the 22 MLAs who opposed the confidence vote against the ruling government have been withdrawn today.
"We have requested that the general council meeting be convened and that a steering committee be formed, etc. The general secretary has assured that they would be considered one by one and asked us to stand united," Velumani added.
Asked why CVe Shanmugam was absent during their meeting with the Speaker, Velumani said, "Shanmugam is also with us."
Earlier in the day, the 14 MLAs in the rival group led by Velumani called on Palaniswami at his residence. Lalgudi MLA Leema Rose drew attention as she was seated close to the Assembly Speaker when the AIADMK MLAs met him.