RAMANATHAPURAM: AIADMK coordonator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami were conspicuous by their absence in a function at Pasumpon village on the occasion of Muthuramalinga Thevar’s 114th birth anniversary and 59th death anniversary. The move is believed to dent the party’s vote bank in south TN’s Mukkulathor community.
Sources said displeasure towards Palaniswami has been brewing in the community, thanks to Vanniyar reservation and his recent stand against the reinduction of VK Sasikala (who is from the Mukkulathor community) into the party. The warm reception the members gave Sasikala at the memorial on Friday raised many an AIADMK cadre’s eyebrows.
While Palaniswami paid tributes to Muthuramalinga Thevar in Chennai, Panneerselvam paid homage to him in Periyakulam on Saturday. Meanwhile, AIADMK MLAs Dindigul Srinivasan, Sellur K Raju, RB Udhayakumar and C Vijaya Baskar attended the function at Pasumpon.
Responding on the absence of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, Srinivasan told reporters, “They didn’t boycott Thevar jayanti/guru pooja. Panneerselvam postponed his visit to Nov 1 as rituals are due for his late wife. EPS couldn’t make it due to ill-health.”