COIMBATORE: Senior AIADMK leader K A Sengottaiyan, who was stripped of his party posts after his call for unity, on Tuesday said he had met Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi on Monday and apprised them of the need to unify and strengthen AIADMK by bringing back expelled leaders into the party.
The AIADMK veteran said the current political situation in Tamil Nadu was discussed during his meeting with the senior BJP leaders. “Everyone should come together, unify, and the party should be strengthened and based on this objective, opinions were conveyed,” Sengottaiyan told reporters at Coimbatore airport on Tuesday afternoon.
The Erode strongman had stated on Monday that he was going on a spiritual trip to Haridwar but later, reports said that he had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi that night. Upon returning to Coimbatore by flight on Tuesday, Sengottaiyan confirmed his meetings with Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi.
EPS’ decision is final: Thambidurai
“Everyone has democratic rights and expressing one’s opinion is welcome,” he said, defending his meeting with Shah, and added that he would continue to work for people’s welfare and strengthening the AIADMK, which is his only goal.
He also said that he has requested the railway minister to change the departure time of the Yercaud Express. “The train has been departing from Erode early, before the scheduled time, which affects the commuters. Hence, I requested the minister to change the train’s departure time. The minister has assured to take necessary action,” Sengottaiyan said.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Delhi, veteran AIADMK leader M Thambidurai hailed party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami’s leadership, and underscored Dravidian icon C N Annadurai’s ideal of “duty, dignity and discipline,” and said “discipline” is important.
The AIADMK functioned unitedly, and whatever decision Palaniswami took is final, Thambidurai said. On September 5, Sengottaiyan had set a 10-day ultimatum to AIADMK general secretary EPS to initiate steps to “bring back” into the party all those who “left AIADMK” and face the Assembly polls as a unified force.
Subsequently, he was removed from his posts of AIADMK organisation secretary and Erode Suburban (west) district secretary. Former AIADMK leaders like CM O Panneerselvam, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, and VK Sasikala had voiced their support for Sengottaiyan’s call for unity.
Meanwhile, EPS continued his purge of Sengottaiyan’s supporters by removing Erode rural west district office-bearer S Selvan, MGR youth wing secretary (Erode West) Arul Ramachandran, Erode west district IT wing secretary AVM Senthil, and Sathyamangalam town Puratchi Thalaivi Peravai joint secretary SD Kamesh from their party posts on Tuesday.
Two functionaries— Maruthamuthu (Athani panchayat unit former deputy secretary), deputy president of Kallakurichi district AIADMK IT wing RM Manikandan— were sacked from the party. Bhavani Sagar MLA A Bannar,i along with party functionaries from Erode rural west district, met EPS at his Salem residence on Tuesday to extend support.