CHENNAI: In a turn of events, MDMK's Principal Secretary Durai Vaiko on Sunday withdrew his resignation. The move came after the party’s meeting with district secretaries and the administrative committee who urged Durai Vaiko to reconsider his decision and continue in his post, sources said.
Durai Vaiko announced his decision to step down on Saturday amid simmering tensions with supporters of Mallai Sathya, the party’s deputy general secretary and one of the few remaining senior leaders of the party.
According to MDMK sources, the rift between the two leaders widened following social media posts by Mallai Sathya which were allegedly against Durai Vaiko and the party’s interests. Supporters of Durai Vaiko demanded Sathya's removal from the party. However, MDMK’s founder and general secretary Vaiko did not endorse this demand considering Sathya's long-standing association with him.
The internal conflict led to a fall out between Vaiko and his son Durai Vaiko, sources said, prompting his announcement to resign.
During the administrative committee meeting held at the party headquarters on Sunday, a good number of functionaries expressed support for Durai Vaiko, according to sources. Addressing the meeting, Sathya reportedly said he was willing to resign from his post and also offered the option of holding a vote among party members to decide on his future in the party. “Until the end, I will remain a loyal worker of Vaiko,” he declared.
Following reconciliation talks between Durai Vaiko and Mallai Sathya, the former agreed to withdraw his resignation. Both leaders publicly pledged to work together for the party's welfare.
Speaking to reporters later, Vaiko said Sathya and Durai Vaiko had assured him that such situations would not recur and that both leaders had resolved their differences. “In a democratic movement, differences of opinion are natural. Let the past remain in the past. I have promised to stand by Sathya,” Durai Vaiko added.
Earlier the meeting unanimously adopted nine resolutions. One of the major resolutions condemned the portrayal of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in the film Jatt. The resolution alleged that the film depicted LTTE members—who had laid down their lives for the cause of Tamil Eelam—as cruel terrorists. The party said that such a misrepresentation was deeply offensive to Tamil sentiments and urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately ban the screening of the movie in the state.
In another resolution, the party announced protests in Chennai, Madurai, and Coimbatore on April 26 to press the Union Government to remove Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from office. The protest will also demand the withdrawal of the recent amendment to the Waqf Board Act, which the party claims threatens the rights and interests of minority communities.