NAGAPATTINAM: Prominent BJP politician from Nagapattinam district and SK Vedarathinam quit the saffron party on Wednesday and rejoined DMK nine years after leaving the party, on Wednesday.
The 63-year-old politician is a former three-time MLA from Vedaranyam constituency.
It is said that he was upset over not being given a prominent post in the BJP in the recent appointments of office bearers to the Tamil Nadu unit. He was appointed as the national general council member of the BJP.
Vedarathinam rejoined the DMK through video conferencing in the presence of M K Stalin. “I am not new to this party. I have served in DMK for 34 years. I am very familiar with the people in Nagapattinam, Kilvelur, and of course, Vedaranyam. I believe I can deliver again.” Vedarathinam said.
Vedarathinam hails from Thethakudi in Vedaranyam block. He joined DMK in around 1977 as a 20-year-old. He was consecutively elected as the MLA from Vedaranyam on DMK ticket in 1996, 2001 and 2006.
Vedarathinam was hoping to contest the assembly polls again in 2011. But, DMK chose to give the ticket to the PMK, an ally at that time.
Vedarathinam exited the party immediately and contested as an Independent candidate. However, AIADMK’S NV Kamaraj won the elections. While Vedarathinam came second, PMK’s R Chinnathurai was at the third position.
Vedarathinam joined BJP in 2015. He contested on BJP ticket in Vedaranyam assembly constituency in the 2016 elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to Vedarathinam on May 11, had campaigned for Vedarathiname.
However, the incumbent Handlooms and Textiles Minister OS Manian from AIADMK won that election with a huge margin.
During a five-year stint in BJP from 2015 to 2020, he served the party as the state secretary.
Several BJP leaders and local body representatives from Vedaranyam joined DMK along with Vedarathinam. DMK's south Nagapattinam secretary N Gowthaman welcomed Vedarathinam and others into the party. DMK president MK Stalin who addressed them online welcomed them as well.