The rivalry between DMK’s district secretary N Periyasamy and Tiruchendur MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan is set to severely dent the prospects of party’s Thoothukudi candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The rift between the DMK biggies came out in the open during party’s treasurer M K Stalin’s visit to the constituency for campaigning on Sunday. According to sources, Periyasamy humiliated Radhakrishnan by giving prominence to low ranked members and relegating him during the meeting.
Further, several prominent leaders were conspicuous by their absence during Stalin’s campaign, prominent among them was Thoothukudi MP S R Jeyadurai, sources added.
Radhakrishnan has been shunning party activities ever since Jagan Periyasamy was announced the party candidate for Thoothukudi constituency.
“His indifference came to such a pass that he left for Madurai after the announcement and returned only a few days ahead of Stalin’s visit,” sources said. “Though Radhakrishnan has a huge following in Tiruchendur, he failed to mobilise the cadre during Stalin visit. Not more than 500 people, including the functionaries from coalition parties, were present during the Stalin meeting,” a senior functionary said.
Radhakrishnan served as a Minister during AIADMK’s previous stint and had shifted his loyalty to DMK in 2009 after his expulsion from the former party. Sources said that Radhakrishnan’s meteoric rise in the party had not gone down well with the Periyasamy-led faction.
Supporters of both the leaders had often taken their fight to public places in the past.