CHENNAI: With Madras HC expected to announce its verdict on the disqualification of 18 rebel MLAs who supported T T V Dhinakaran, the AIADMK leadership on Sunday expelled about 135 office-bearers in Thanjavur east. The move appears to be an attempt to strengthen the party’s hold among office-bearers.
In a statement issued here, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator and CM Edappadi said 135 office-bearers were expelled for bringing disrepute to the party and going against its principles. The expelled leaders included district presidium chairman N Jothi, district joint secretary G Annapurani and deputy secretaries R Rajeshwari and C Nagarajan.
The office-bearers of various wings were also shown the door as they were removed from the primary memberships of the party, besides being stripped of their respective posts.After tasting defeat in the R K Nagar by-election held on December 21 last year, the ruling AIADMK has been removing Dhinakaran’s supporters from the party. Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent candidate, won the by-election with a margin of over 40,000 votes defeating his nearest rival E Madhusudanan, the presidium chairman of the AIADMK, sources said.So far, more than 700 office-bearers from Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur and Karur districts have been sacked, they added.