CHENNAI : The 17-month-old AMMK, led by TTV Dhinakaran, continues to wither. For the trend of party senior leaders and his close associates moving away from the party continues with V Pugazhendi, one more confidante of Dhinakaran, too showing strong indications of dissent. Pugazhendi, AMMK spokesperson and secretary to party’s Karnataka unit, has been vociferously supporting VK Sasikala and Dhinakaran after the death of the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa. Just after Dhinakaran’s close associate Thanga Thamizh Selvan left the party to join the DMK two months ago, there were expectations that Pugazhendi too might follow suit. However, he denied it.
For the past few days, a video clip has been going viral, in which Pugazhendi said he had brought to limelight Dhinakaran who had been in political hibernation for over 14 years, and worked for him. Talking to party office-bearers in Coimbatore recently, he indicated that the functionaries eager to leave the party should ensure ‘safe future’ for themselves and until then, should not make a hasty move.
Without denying the contents of the video, he told Express: “It was an informal meeting with party functionaries who complained about expulsion of many office-bearers in Coimbatore district. I have the right to glorify as well as chide my leader (TTV) for whom I worked day and night. A woman functionary had videographed whatever I said and after a few days, it had been spread by AMMK IT Wing. I wonder why they stoop to the level of sending a functionary as a spy to record whatever I said and release it.”
Pugazhendi admitted that he had not met Dhinakaran for the past two months. Last week, he saw Dhinakaran at Bengaluru prison but did not speak to him and both of them had a separate meeting with Sasikala.
“Dhinakaran should first stop expelling party functionaries since everyone would have contributed to the growth of the party in some or other way. If he goes on expelling them, at one point of time, he will be left alone in the party,” Pugazhendi said and added that the decision of Dhinakaran to skip Vellore parliamentary election was wrong.
Asked whether he was expecting his expulsion from the AMMK, he said, “I don’t expect Dhinakaran to go to that extent. If Dhinakaran tells me, ‘go out’, then Sasikala will tell me, ‘come in’. As of now, I am continuing in the AMMK and will wait for Sasikala’s release from prison.” Asked what was the mood of Sasikala about the developments in the party, he said, “She is aware of what is going on and in a disappointed mood. She told me that once she comes out, she will solve all issues.”
If TTV tells, ‘go out’, then Sasikala will say, ‘come in’
Asked whether he was expecting his expulsion from the AMMK, he said, “I don’t expect Dhinakaran to go to that extent. If Dhinakaran tells me, ‘go out’, then Sasikala will tell me, ‘come in’. As of now, I am continuing in the AMMK and will wait for Sasikala’s release from prison.”