CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Monday appointed R Vaithilingam as the joint coordinator of the party. He was deputy coordinator so far and Edappadi K Palaniswami was joint coordinator. But Palaniswami had earlier said the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator have been abolished. Both factions of the AIADMK have moved courts and the Election Commission in this regard.
Meanwhile, AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, in a statement here, announced the expulsion of KP Krishnan and 13 others from various wings of the party for “anti-party activities”. Ever since the AIADMK’s July 11 general council meeting, there have been expulsions and counter expulsions by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam.
Meanwhile, Panneerselvam also roped in former minister KP Krishnan, JCD Prabhakar, and PH Manoj Pandian as deputy coordinators of the AIADMK. Expressing happiness about his appointment, Krishnan told TNIE he would soon meet Panneerselvam in Chennai, and declined to answer more queries.
Meanwhile, Panneerselvam, in a separate statement, expelled 10 key functionaries, including former minister P Balakrishna Reddy, Udumalai K Radhakrishnan, KT Rajenthra Bhalaji, Kadambur C Raju, and MC Sampath, from the AIADMK. Besides, former MLAs Sirunium P Balaraman and Sorathur R Rajendran, RK Ravichandran, C Krishnamurali and VS Sethuraman have also been expelled from the party.