A Rapprochement Between AIADMK Groups On The Cards
The Velumani group was also collecting signatures from members of the AIADMK’s general council, the apex decision making body of the party with about 2000 members: Reports
CHENNAI: The AIADMK that was on the verge of a vertical split with the both warring groups going for the jugular of the other after the installation of the new government was pulled out of the precipice on Monday by party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who cautioned functionaries against perishing like fireflies and gave a clarion call for unity with an assurance that a bright future awaited the party.
Averring that the people of the State still reposed confidence on the AIADMK, Palanswami, in his statement, said that it was a tragedy that the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) that had formed a ‘dummy horse’ government had tried to poach leaders from the party by indulging in horse trading and promising lucrative offers.
But it had been the tradition of the party, since the time of founder M G Ramchandran through the reign of J Jayalalithaa, to crackdown on those who betrayed it and also forgive them when they repented and reformed, which was being followed even now, he said.
Calling upon the party leaders to have faith in the people who voted for them and the party that gave them the recognition and sort out the differences in the party among themselves through talks, he said the dance of the ‘dummy horse’ government, which had been formed with the help of five political parties, would stop soon.
The AIADMK would soon form a government, he said, urging the party leaders to unite and provide a rule of ‘peace, prosperity and progress’ aspired by the people, he said, adding that the party had seen enough victories and losses in the past and had the experience in overcoming setback and re-emerging triumphantly.
The call for unity from the general secretary would put an end to the animosity brewing within the party after about 25 of its 47 MLAs rallied behind former Ministers C Ve Shanmugham and S P Velumani and voted in favour of the TVK government when it sought a vote of confidence in the Assembly defying the whip of the party high command.
While Palaniswami wanted action against those who defied the whip appointed by him, Agri Krishnamurthy, the other group claimed that it had more MLAs with it and said that the majority of the MLAs had appointed C Vijayabakar as their whip.
Apart from Palaniswami writing to the Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar seeking disqualification of the 25 MLAs who defied the whip of Krishnamurthy and also complaining to the Speaker J C D Prabhakar, the rival group, too, approached the Speaker with a complaint.
The Velumani group was also collecting signatures from members of the AIADMK’s general council, the apex decision making body of the party with about 2000 members, with a view to dethrone Palaniswami. They also claimed that 1200 signatures were collected.
Earlier when it looked the party was heading for a vertical split, leaders of the Velumani group first suggested a negotiated settlement to the issue. Now with Palaniswami, too, calling for unity, the problem in the AIADMK seems to be over.
Meanwhile, former Minister and AIADMK organisation secretary S Semmalai, resigned from the party citing the turbulence in the party as the reason. As a member of the party since its inception he was pained by the latest unsavoury developments, he said in a statement.
After the passing away of former Chief Minister J Jayalaithaa, he continued to work for the party despite being deprived of many opportunities, he said