KANNIYAKUMARI: The discontentment of AIADMK cadres on the high command’s decision to allot five of the six seats in the district to alliance parties spilled on to the streets with a section of women’s wing members staging a protest near the MGR statue in Nagercoil on Thursday.
The cadres tore posters of Kannniyakumari east district secretary N Thalavai Sundaram, accusing him of acting in a selfish manner and retaining one seat (Kanniyakumari) for himself.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday allotted four seats to BJP (Nagercoil, Colachel, Padmanabhapuram and Vilavancode) and one to TMC (Killiyoor). Hours later, former Nagercoil MLA A Nanjil Murugesan announced that he would contest as an independent.
R Sindhu, a women’s wing functionary, accused Sundaram of destroying the AIADMK in the district. She said the hard work put in by the cadres for the party’s victory for the past five years has gone waste.
A senior AIADMK functionary, who did not want to be identified, said the party had very good chances of victory in at least three constituencies — Nagercoil, Colachel and Padmanabhapuram — but they were allotted to allies.
Sources said a section of AIADMK cadres in Padmanabhapuram are also disappointed. Party’s state organising secretary D John Thankam, however, said that they would abide by Palaniswami’s decision and work for the victory of alliance parties.
A BJP leader said his party workers were happy over the seat allotment. “Though AIADMK cadres are disappointed, it will settle down soon. The aim is to remove the DMK regime,” he said.
In 2021, BJP contested in Nagercoil, Vilavancode and Colachel, and won in Nagercoil. AIADMK contested in Kanniyakumari and Padmanabhapuram, and won in Kanniyakumari, while TMC lost in Killiyoor.