Jayalalithaa men to have multiple Iftar parties

Chennai: The delightful democracy in post-Jaya AIADMK has thrown up yet another interesting situation. The 32 MLAs loyal to Sasikala are seriously contemplating boycotting the Iftar party being hosted by Chief Minister Edappadi
K. Palaniswami on Wednesday evening at the Nandanam Trade Centre.

The rival OPS faction is having its own Iftar party, same time at Ashoka Hotel in Egmore. Upset over EPS decision to host the Iftar party ignoring their demand that he should concede to TTV the leadership of the AIADMK and the right to preside over the Iftar party, his loyalists are seriously contemplating boycott.

“We have the tradition of party general secretary hosting the AIADMK Iftar party. The present general secretary is in jail and so the deputy general secretary would automatically become entitled to lead. As CM has chosen to ignore our plea to let TTV preside over the Iftar party, we will stay away from the function”, said Thanga Tamizhchelvan, Andipatti MLA and a staunch TTV loyalist. When asked if they would have their own Iftar party, he said, “No. We will just boycott”.  

However, his might not be the last word in the TTV camp as senior members, who had gone to Parappana Agrahara jail to see Sasikala, were “still debating the future course” till late Tuesday night.

“We have just met Chinnamma and discussed the developments. We have not yet taken a decision on participation in the CM's Iftar party”, said a former minister and TTV loyalist.

The Iftar party of OPS, on the other hand, will not have any such hiccups though it may not match the CM’s in grandeur. But then, OPS will have Tamil Maanila Congress chief G.K. Vasan attending.

MLA Thanga Tamizhchelvan showed his newfound vigour in being boldly independent, post-Amma, when he staged a walkout from the Assembly on Monday after openly challenging Speaker P. Dhanapal. And on Tuesday, actor Karunas, Thamimun Ansari and Thaniarasu, the three ‘independents’ who had won their seats on the AIADMK symbol, staged walkout protesting against  CM not openly opposing the Centre’s beef ban. Rewind just a little over six months and all this would have been sheer blasphemy.