CHENNAI: Amid factional feud, the legislature party meeting of the ruling faction of the AIADMK headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is being held on Tuesday. After the meeting, Palaniswami will hold discussions with headquarters office-bearers and district secretaries. The interaction takes place a week ahead of the September 12 general council meeting. During this meeting, the chief minister is likely to discuss among other things arrangements for the GC meeting, the support base for ousted deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran, etc.
Around 35 MLAs were absent at the MLAs meeting convened by Palaniswami on August 28. This had raised questions about the majority support enjoyed by the present government. Remember, 19 MLAs belonging to the Dhinakaran faction submitted individual letters to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on August 22 saying that they had withdrawn their support to the chief minister and wanted to change him. However, the Governor had told opposition leaders who met him that it was an intra-party affair of the AIADMK and that he could not intervene in it now. So, the ruling faction would try to ensure the presence of as many MLAs as possible on Tuesday.
The meeting also takes place in the backdrop of the suicide of Dalit girl S Anitha over the NEET issue and widespread protests across the State over the failure to get exemption from the common entrance exam.
Thanga Thamizhselvan, one of the key leaders in the Dhinakaran faction, told mediapersons at Adyar that all the 21 MLAs in their faction had been invited but they would not attend it as the meeting did not have the approval of party general secretary V K Sasikala.
He said all the 21 MLAs were firm on the demand that Palaniswami step down. He also said only the general secretary or deputy general secretary had powers to convene the meeting of the district secretaries. Asked about the rebel MLAs staying in Puducherry resort vacating the place in recent days, he said: “10 MLAs have gone to their native places on account of personal works. Today, most of them have returned to the resort.”
Two MPs from EPS faction support TTV
Days ahead of the general council meeting of the AIADMK, two MPs - B Senguttuvan (Vellore) and M Udhayakumar (Dindigul) - met T T V Dhinakaran and extended their support. Later, talking to mediapersons, Senguttuvan said: “The present government in Tamil Nadu is the most corrupt in the country. I don’t know why the BJP is supporting it. That was why we extended support to Dhinakaran.”
