The high command of DMK party has cracked the whip against 11 party functionaries, supporters of senior party leader Durai Murugan, in the Vellore Parliamentary constituency, for revolting against an alliance party candidate.
The disciplinary action against the partymen, who were suspended on charges of violating the party discipline and opposing alliance party’s candidate and sitting MP of Vellore M Abdul Rahman of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), stunned party cadre. Kilvaithinankuppam (K V Kuppam) union secretary K Dhayalamurthy, union deputy secretary M Sivakumar, Tharapadavedu Town treasurer ‘Tyre’ Kannan (alias) Vivekanandan, Gudiyattam union deputy secretaries Meenur Jayavelu and Gurunathan, Gudiyattam Union Treasurer Veera Annadurai and five other cadre were suspended in connection with last Saturday’s incident at K V Kuppam bus stand.
General secretary of the party K Anbazhagan issued a statement in the party mouthpiece, Murasoli, on Friday stating that the 11 cadre, who were supporters of party strongman Durai Murugan, were relieved of party posts and membership.
A group of DMK cadre had blocked Rahman’s car at K V Kuppam bus stand when he was on his way to take part in a meeting in Gudiyattam. They gave vent to their feelings in a violent outburst. In the melee, the windshield of Rahman’s car was damaged. DMK district secretary R Gandhi brought the situation under control. Nonetheless, the IUML candidate met with more hostile treatment at Gudiyattam. The partymen called the IUML as ‘betrayers’ for not giving up the constituency for DMK thereby denying Durai Murugan’s son D M Kadhir Anand an opportunity from contesting in Vellore.
“We are not involved in the Saturday’s incident. The public was angry against him for not doing anything for the constituency and resorted to protest on seeing him,” said Dhayalamurthy (44).
Kadhir Anand said he was unaware of the disciplinary action. However, he said Dhayalamurthy’s family and he were loyal to the party.