CHENNAI: Former minister C Ve Shanmugam on Wednesday called for a review of the AIADMK’s poor performance in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bye-elections, urging the party leadership to consult senior leaders and hold a general council meeting to discuss steps to rebuild the organisation.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with a group of party leaders, including former ministers, at his residence, Shanmugam said the party had suffered a serious defeat, and its leadership should identify the reasons and take corrective measures.
He said the defeat had caused him distress, and expressed confidence that the party could regain its former strength by taking everyone along and following the legacy of its founder M G Ramachandran and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
“We have been saying from the beginning that the leadership should consult party leaders and hold a general council meeting to discuss the reasons for the defeat, and take steps to improve the party,” he said.
Shanmugam said AIADMK workers needed confidence that the party could be revived. “Though I don’t hold any party post at present, I and other leaders are ready to support efforts by the leadership to strengthen the organisation,” he added.
Meanwhile, AIADMK has issued a legal notice to minister C T R Nirmal Kumar, seeking a public apology and Rs 1 crore in damages over his alleged defamatory remarks against the party and Edappadi K Palaniswami. The notice, dated October 13, refers to remarks allegedly made by the minister during a press interaction at the secretariat on October 9, following the bypoll results. It alleges that he described AIADMK as a “letter-pad company” and claimed that Palaniswami was protecting his personal assets and family interests by controlling the party.
