CHENNAI: A meeting of the AIADMK legislature party has been scheduled for June 14 to elect its deputy leader and whip in the state Assembly. The meeting assumes significance as it takes place amidst the release of audio recordings of VK Sasikala interacting with AIADMK functionaries almost on a daily basis assuring them that she would be returning to politics very soon.
Yet another audio recording of Sasikala interacting with an AIADMK functionary was released on Thursday in which she said the AIADMK cannot be separated from her. In Thursday's audio, for the first time Sasikala explicitly named the AIADMK while in previous audios she had merely referred to it as 'katchi' (the party). Earlier, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami had brushed aside the issue and claimed that Sasikala may be referring only to her return to the AMMK, the party run by TTV Dhinakaran.
Meanwhile, the poster war between supporters of the top two AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami continued in Tirunelveli district. On Thursday, in response to the posters in support of Panneerselvam, supporters of Palaniswami also put up posters hailing his election as leader of the Opposition.
Though Palaniswami was elected as leader of the legislature party exactly one month ago, the election of the deputy leader and whip has been delayed, reportedly due to differences between Palaniswami and Panneerselvam.
The post of whip is a key one in the state Assembly. Sources said Panneerselvam is not in a mood to accept the post of Deputy Leader of the Opposition but expects that the post of whip should be given to one of his supporters.
The city police registered complaints against AIADMK office bearers for conducting the legislature party meeting without obtaining prior permission on May 10. Now, keeping that in mind, the AIADMK has sought permission from the city police assuring that the June 14 meeting would happen in accordance with the guidelines issued by the government by maintaining social distancing and other precautionary measures.
An official release from the AIADMK headquarters here said all MLAs should bring their identity cards to enter the party office on June 14. The party headquarters also requested cadre and office bearers to strictly avoid visiting the office on June 14 in view of the Corona pandemic. MLAs alone would be allowed inside the party headquarters on that day, said the release.